The Trump administration is backing down in a multi-state legal fight over sweeping actions taken by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement earlier this month that jeopardized and potentially terminated the immigration status of thousands of international students studying in the United States.

The Trump administration is restoring thousands of foreign students' records, the Department of Justice announced on Friday. In a federal court hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Carilli said foreign students will return to "active" status in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System,