Priya Saxena's lone transgression, according to court records, was a minor traffic infraction in 2021 when she failed to stop for an emergency vehicle; she was fined for this.

The Trump administration has been trying to deport Priya Saxena, an Indian PhD student at a South Dakota institution, from the United States, but a federal judge has granted her a respite, enabling her to remain in the country. After the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) abruptly withdrew her F-1 student visa in April due to a minor traffic infraction, the 28-year-old, who recently earned a PhD in chemical and biological engineering from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, was in danger of being deported.

Saxena may not have been able to finish her coursework and graduate on May 10th if her Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVIS) record had been erased following the termination of her visa, which was valid until February 2027. However, in mid-April, Saxena filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, and a federal court issued a temporary restraining order. Because of this, she was able to finish her PhD and graduate this past weekend.

According to her lawyer, small violations such as Saxena's are not punishable by deportation under immigration law. She is now permitted to remain in the nation after a South Dakota federal court this week issued a preliminary injunction that prevents the DHS from arresting and holding her without the court's consent. According to The Guardian story, the court stated that DHS's actions seem illegal and are likely to inflict irreversible harm to Saxena.