AMHERST — Federal officials are restoring the previously terminated student immigration statuses for 13 international students at the University of Massachusetts, according to information posted on the university’s federal actions page Monday.

But university officials say there remains uncertainty around the students’ canceled visas, which accompanied the removal of their student statuses in the Department of Homeland Security’s Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).

“The Office of Global Affairs and other offices are working with each of the 13 students on a case-by-case basis to advise on next steps,” the post on the federal actions page reads.

That UMass office has been offering a series of rapid responses to the students since early April, when it first identified students whose immigration statuses were terminated, after beginning to monitor SEVIS to ensure that students would be aware of any changes in their immigration status or their right to be in the United States. UMass has about 5,000 graduate and undergraduate international students, most of whom are on the Amherst campus.

On Friday, the Trump administration, through Department of Justice attorneys and in response to legal actions filed by some of the hundreds of affected students across the country, announced in court proceedings that student immigration statuses would be restored, including those who had been party to the lawsuits and almost all others as well.

The administration also indicated that Immigration and Customs Enforcement would make changes to the process, with officials no longer basing cancellations of student statuses solely on whether a student comes up in a search of the National Crime Information Center.

“ICE is developing a policy that will provide a framework for SEVIS record terminations,” the administration stated.

In a previous letter to the campus, Chancellor Javier Reyes indicated that UMass was seeing visas stripped from students, including from those with no known connection to protests, such as the pro-Palestinian actions in October 2023 and May 2024 that led to the arrests of nearly 200 individuals.

Reyes at the time wrote that “these actions have been attributed by federal authorities to alleged incidents, in some cases, as minor as off-campus traffic violations,” and noted that “in the past, students’ legal statuses in the United States were not immediately canceled due to a revoked visa. Under the new administration, in some cases, student statuses are being revoked within hours of the visa’s revocation.”

U.S. Rep James McGovern has been advocating for the students, too, sending a letter earlier in April to the State and Homeland Security departments seeking answers to the revoked visas and removed student statuses, including for the 13 students at UMass.

On Monday morning, members of the Massachusetts Legislature offered comments to mark the 100th day of the Trump administration, with Senate President Karen Spilka among those speaking out on the continued federal immigration actions.

“The law is king — not a man or woman, not a president and certainly not Donald Trump,” Spilka said. “So let it be entered into the record today that I unequivocally object to the dissolution of due process and the rule of law in America. And, as long as I am Senate president, Massachusetts will resist this new tyranny, and the Senate will continue to embrace the principles and blueprint of our Response 2025 initiative to protect our residents, defend our values and help lead this great nation past this moment of grave danger.”

Sen. Jacob Oliveira, D-Ludlow, spoke from the Senate floor, saying the Trump administration is not just targeting immigrants, but also veterans, farmers, scientists, children and the entire state of Massachusetts. He said Trump has abandoned his oath of office to lead an assault on democracy and a dismantling of the law.

“We must say ‘no more,’” Oliveira said, citing neighbors disappearing, communities living in fear and families being shattered.

“This attack is not about efficiency,” Oliveira said. “It is cruelty, plain and simple.”

Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.