Relief as Judge Blocks Trump’s Ban on Harvard’s International Student Enrollment

A federal judge has issued a temporary halt to the Trump administration’s move to revoke Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students, siding with the institution in a heated legal battle that accuses the government of ideological retaliation.

U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs granted the emergency relief just hours after Harvard filed a lawsuit Friday, challenging the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) abrupt removal of the university from the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). The elite institution, the oldest and wealthiest in the country, claimed the revocation was “clear retaliation” for its refusal to comply with what it calls politically motivated federal demands.

Harvard alleges that the government’s action threatens the academic futures of nearly 7,000 international students, disrupts essential research and teaching operations, and violates its First Amendment rights. The lawsuit argues that the university was denied any opportunity to defend itself before the government moved to terminate its SEVP certification—a move that bars new international student enrollment and could force existing students to transfer or lose their visa status.

“This retaliatory action threatens serious harm to the Harvard community and undermines our academic mission,” said university spokesperson Jason Newton.

Harvard President Alan Garber reassured international students in a statement Friday: “You are our classmates and friends, our colleagues and mentors… we will support you as we do our utmost to ensure that Harvard remains open to the world.”

The Trump administration defended the move as a lawful and necessary step. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem accused Harvard of failing to submit foreign student conduct records, fostering a hostile campus environment for Jewish students, and refusing to dismantle “racist” diversity programs. In a statement, Noem said, “Harvard can no longer enroll foreign students and existing foreign students must transfer or lose their legal status.”

Harvard denies the claims, asserting that it submitted the required information and was deemed non-compliant without clear justification. The university said new demands for additional documentation within 72 hours lack legal basis and represent a continued effort to control the institution’s internal governance and curriculum.

This latest legal action is separate but thematically linked to another lawsuit currently before Judge Burroughs, in which Harvard is challenging a freeze of $2.65 billion in federal research grants. Both cases, according to Harvard, represent a broader federal campaign to “coerce Harvard into surrendering its First Amendment rights.”

The administration, in turn, is portraying the lawsuit as an attempt to shield the university from accountability. “It is a privilege, not a right, for universities to enroll foreign students,” said DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin. “We have the law, the facts, and common sense on our side.”

The fallout has been swift and emotional. International students and staff have expressed shock and fear over their future. Jared, an incoming freshman from New Zealand, called the news a “heart drop” moment. “To me, it’s one of, if not the best school in the world,” he said, as he considered alternative plans amid visa uncertainty.

Professors and alumni also decried the policy. Harvard economics professor and former Obama official Jason Furman called the measure “horrendous on every level,” warning of lasting damage to U.S. innovation and soft power. “It is impossible to imagine Harvard without our amazing international students,” he said.

Lawrence Summers, former Harvard president and U.S. Treasury Secretary, criticized the administration’s actions as discriminatory and politically motivated. “Sending every Israeli student out of Harvard is more discriminatory than anything they have complained about,” he said.

International students make up more than a quarter of Harvard’s student body, a percentage that has steadily risen over the past two decades. The university said more than 6,700 students from over 140 countries were at risk due to the government’s decision.

The administration has pointed to Harvard’s handling of pro-Palestinian protests and antisemitism complaints as justification for its crackdown. While Harvard has acknowledged those issues and begun implementing reforms, critics say the government’s sweeping demands — including auditing student and faculty “viewpoints” — go far beyond legitimate oversight.

“This is extortion,” Summers said. “It’s a vendetta using all the powers of the government because of a political argument with Harvard.”

Judge Burroughs’ decision temporarily protects the university and its international students while the case proceeds. A final ruling on the program’s revocation and the federal funding freeze is expected later this summer.