The United States has reportedly withdrawn a plan to expel international students who are enrolled in online-only courses for the fall semester. 

Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology(MIT) filed a legal challenge to the policy last Wednesday, two days after the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced the plan.

According to Bloomberg News, Allison Burroughs, a federal judge in Boston, made the surprise announcement that the case had been dropped and the government had backed down. The judge reportedly said that the concerned parties have come to a resolution.

Last week, the U.S. immigration agency said foreign students on F-1 and M-1 visas must leave if all of their classes are moved online for the fall semester. It said those students who face such a situation must depart the country or take other measures, such as transferring to a school with in-person instruction, to remain in lawful status. 

The decision prompted Harvard and MIT to take the legal step, with about 200 other universities, colleges and major IT firms supporting or joining in the case.