Judge blocks Trump Admin Ban on Foreign Students at Harvard Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to strip Harvard of its ability to enroll foreign students. The university argues the move violates the Constitution and targets its academic independence. The case could affect over a quarter of Harvard’s student population.
Harvard Visa Revocation Blocked + Quick Looks
- Federal judge halts Trump policy, protecting Harvard’s foreign student program.
- Move affects over 7,000 students, or 27% of Harvard’s enrollment.
- Harvard sues, citing First Amendment, academic freedom violations.
- Judge Burroughs grants 2-week injunction, hearings set for May 27 and 29.
- White House accuses Harvard of antisemitism, ties to China.
- Trump targets academia, calls for alignment with his policies.
- Administration may appeal, could escalate to Supreme Court.
- Homeland Security demanded protest records, Harvard calls demand unconstitutional.
Judge blocks Trump decision to Bar Foreign Student Visas at Harvard
Deep Look
BOSTON — A federal judge on Friday temporarily blocked the Trump administration from revoking Harvard University’s authority to enroll international students, pausing a high-stakes policy that could disrupt the academic futures of more than 7,000 foreign enrollees.
U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs issued the ruling in response to a lawsuit filed by Harvard hours earlier, calling the administration’s action “a blatant violation” of constitutional protections and federal law. The judge set hearings for May 27 and May 29 to determine whether the injunction will be extended or made permanent.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), led by Secretary Kristi Noem, had announced on Thursday that Harvard’s certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) would be revoked effective with the 2025–2026 academic year. The Ivy League institution responded immediately with legal action, arguing that the move represents political retaliation.
“Without its international students, Harvard is not Harvard,” the university wrote in its court filing. Nearly 6,800 international students currently attend Harvard—27% of its total student body.
White House Links Revocation to Protests, Allegations
In a controversial move, DHS cited alleged antisemitic incidents, protest activity, and claimed coordination with the Chinese Communist Party as grounds for revoking Harvard’s SEVP certification.
In her letter attached to Harvard’s lawsuit, Noem demanded the university produce extensive records—including video and audio of international student protests over the past five years—within 72 hours to reinstate its certification. Harvard called this demand “the quintessence of arbitrariness.”
University President Alan Garber condemned the administration’s actions in a public letter Friday:
“This revocation continues a series of government actions to retaliate against Harvard for our refusal to surrender our academic independence,” Garber wrote.
Judge: Trump Must Follow Law
Judge Burroughs, an Obama-era appointee, said in her temporary order that Harvard had shown clear evidence of harm and warranted immediate relief before a full hearing could be conducted.
“The President has the authority to shape executive branch policy, but not at the expense of the Constitution and without congressional involvement,” she wrote.
Harvard’s legal team emphasized the abrupt revocation would derail countless academic programs, labs, and clinics, forcing the school to revoke admissions for thousands just days before graduation.
Trump’s Broader Pressure Campaign
The administration’s action fits into a broader campaign by President Trump to bring higher education, the media, and legal institutions under tighter political alignment. Harvard is one of several elite universities in the administration’s crosshairs.
“If only Harvard cared this much about ending the scourge of anti-American, anti-Semitic, pro-terrorist agitators on their campus,” said White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson in a statement dismissing the lawsuit as “frivolous.”
Columbia University, under similar pressure, recently agreed to reform disciplinary procedures and Middle East curricula after Trump withheld $400 million in federal funding.
Trump allies have also targeted foreign students who participated in pro-Palestinian protests, even when no criminal acts were committed. At the same time, the administration has sought to impeach federal judges, penalize law firms, and purge the federal workforce in the name of ideological conformity.
What Comes Next
Though Friday’s ruling provides only temporary relief, legal experts expect the case to escalate quickly, possibly to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Department of Justice and DHS have not commented, but an appeal to higher courts appears imminent.
For now, Harvard’s international students can breathe a sigh of relief—but the fight over academic freedom and federal oversight has only just begun.
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