On Friday, a federal judge temporarily halted the Trump administration’s effort to keep Harvard University from admitting international students. The university had filed suit earlier the same day, after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Thursday its move to prevent international students from attending the United States’ oldest institution of higher learning.
“This administration is holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement (emphasis in original) announcing the move, adding that revoking the school’s Student and Visitor Exchange Program certification was “a warning to all universities and academic institutions across the country.”
Harvard’s president had announced the legal action against the Trump administration this morning, explaining that the school had filed a lawsuit and made a request for a temporary restraining order (TRO). US District Court Judge Allison Burroughs granted the motion later in the day, stating in her decision that the school would “sustain immediate and irreparable injury” if the school’s certification for receiving international students were to be revoked before the matter went to court. Oral arguments are set for next week to determine whether or not the administration’s action will be blocked until a final decision is reached in the lawsuit.
HARVARD MAGAZINE states that the school has 6,793 international students enrolled in the 2024-2025 academic year, or 27.3 percent of its student body.
Harvard first found itself at odds with the Trump administration after refusing to implement a series of changes demanded by the White House, including modifications to the school’s curriculum on the politics and history of the Middle East, as well as an “audit” of its faculty, staff, and student body based on their political beliefs. A number of other institutions, like Columbia University, have so far complied with the White House’s demands.
