A Syrian man who was suspended from Penn State under the university's months-old investigative process for campus sexual-assault allegations has alleged in a lawsuit that the investigation violated his due process rights and has left him at risk of being deported back to his home country.

In the case Doe v. Pennsylvania State University filed Monday in the Middle District of Pennsylvania, a 21-year-old student identified only as John Doe sued the university, its president, Eric Barron, and the director of the Office of Student Conduct, Danny Shaha, for violations of his due process rights under the 14th Amendment. Doe filed the suit just days after the university denied his appeal of a two-semester suspension for alleged sexual misconduct against a female student at a fraternity party. Doe simultaneously filed a motion for a temporary restraining order to place his suspension on hold as the case progresses.

Doe alleged Penn State's decision earlier this year to switch to a Title IX disciplinary regime that adopted an “investigative model” for hearing sexual assault allegations removed his ability to confront his accuser or call witnesses of his own.