YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – A 2024 graduate of Youngstown State University has filed a federal complaint against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Department of Justice and unnamed representatives of the university, alleging her student visa status was unlawfully terminated.
Cynderila Patrick, a citizen of Nigeria who now lives in Brooklyn, Md., filed the complaint April 23 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. The complaint alleges that Patrick was denied due process and her rights were violated under the Administrative Procedure Act and the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution.
Patrick graduated from YSU in May 2024 with a Master of Science degree in chemical engineering, the complaint says.
On April 8, 2025, YSU’s Office of International Programs notified Patrick that her Student and Exchange Visitor, or SEVIS, record had been terminated, the lawsuit states, without a full explanation or supporting documentation.
“The stated reason was generic and vague: ‘Individual identified in criminal records check and/or has had their visa revoked,’” the complaint says. Patrick was not contacted by Homeland Security or Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or served with any formal notice of her visa revocation, the lawsuit states.
The complaint was filed by attorney Rhys Cartwright-Jones.
Patrick has no criminal record, according to the complaint. In January 2024, she received a complaint and summons for a fourth degree misdemeanor menacing charge “following an angry email exchange with a professor.” That charge was dismissed in May of the same year, court papers say. The termination notice did not list the email exchange nor anything related as grounds for terminating her visa, the complaint states.
According to court documents, Patrick also has a pending asylum claim, and the cancellation of her visa “renders her legal status in the U.S. precarious.” Moreover, the revocation of her status has rendered her ineligible to apply for or receive Optional Practical Training, or OPT, which allows international students continued employment related to their field of study, court papers claim.
“This disruption will severely hinder her ability to gain professional experience in the United States, undermines the educational investment she has made, and places her at a competitive disadvantage in her field,” the lawsuit says.
The lawsuit is asking the court to declare that the termination of Patrick’s SEVIS record violated the APA and her constitutional rights; a temporary injunction requiring defendants to restore her SEVIS status and refrain from enforcement based on the termination; an injunction barring defendants from initiating or continuing removal proceedings against Patrick; and award the plaintiff attorney’s fees and compensatory damages.
Earlier this month, the Trump administration notified at least 14 students at YSU that their student visas were revoked. On Friday, however, the administration signaled it would reverse course and reinstate the visa registrations of thousands of international students.
The university’s International Programs Office is working with the 14 students and alumni whose visas have been revoked by the federal government.
The office has also been offering guidance to others, a university spokeswoman said earlier this month.
“We continue to encourage our international students to follow all immigration laws,” the spokeswoman said in an email. “We have reached out to our elected officials and federal agencies to request guidance to assist them going forward.”
Various media reports indicate visas have also been revoked for international students at The Ohio State University, Kent State University, the University of Akron and the University of Cincinnati.
YSU President Bill Johnson also this month sent a letter to international students about the issue, offering the university’s support.
“Please remember that you are a member of the YSU Penguin Family, and your contributions, perspectives, and presence on our campus are important to our entire community,” the letter said. “We remain committed to helping each and every one of you succeed in your academic journey.”