SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- On Tuesday, the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana filed a lawsuit against the United States Department of Homeland Security on behalf of seven international students attending universities in the state who have had their lawful status "abruptly terminated without explanation."

According to the ACLU, of the students named in the lawsuit, six are citizens of China attending Purdue University or Indiana University Indianapolis and one is a citizen of Nigeria attending the University of Notre Dame.

Two of the students are on pace to graduate this May.

The ACLU says their lawsuit asks the U.S. District Court to "allow the plaintiffs to continue their studies by reinstating their international student status."

The lawsuit alleges that, because the students were offered no opportunity to contest the decision, DHS violated their Fifth Amendment due process rights and that DHS’s actions are contrary to federal law and the Constitution and violate the Administrative Procedure Act.

“There is no rhyme or reason for DHS’s action. To terminate an international student’s status, the U.S. government must adhere to regulatory standards and provide basic due process, which it has failed to do.” ACLU of Indiana Legal Director Ken Falk said. “The impact on these students’ lives is profound, and now they live in fear of being deported at any moment. We're calling on the court to take immediate steps to stop these unlawful actions.”

A temporary restraining order has been requested to protect the students from being kicked out of the country before receiving due process.