U.S. Judge Blocks Trump Administration's Attempt to Bar Harvard from Enrolling International Students

A U.S. federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order blocking an effort by the Trump administration to prevent Harvard University from enrolling international students.

The decision came on Friday in response to an emergency petition filed by Harvard in the federal district court in Boston, Massachusetts. The university sought immediate intervention after the administration prohibited it from using the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), a government system necessary for admitting foreign students.

U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs sided with Harvard, ruling that the university and its international students could suffer significant harm if the administration’s move was allowed to proceed. The injunction will remain in effect for about two weeks, with hearings scheduled for May 27 and 29.

This marks Harvard's second lawsuit against the Trump administration in under two months. The latest suit came after Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the revocation of Harvard’s SEVP privileges, citing the university’s alleged failure to respond to government concerns.

Noem accused Harvard of “promoting violence, antisemitism, and coordination with the Chinese Communist Party,” stating on social media that the administration was holding the school accountable.

The revocation means Harvard cannot enroll new foreign students, and those already enrolled must transfer elsewhere. Harvard argues this move will have a devastating impact on the university and its more than 7,000 international students, who make up over a quarter of its student body.

In its lawsuit, Harvard called the administration’s actions a “blatant violation” of the U.S. Constitution and federal law. “Without its international students, Harvard is not Harvard,” the university said, warning of immediate damage to numerous academic programs, research labs, and clinical services.

The Trump administration’s escalating campaign against elite academic institutions follows last year’s pro-Palestinian protests on campuses across the U.S., triggered by Israel’s war in Gaza. Trump has used the protests to frame universities as hotbeds of antisemitism and un-American sentiment, making this a cornerstone of his 2024 campaign.

While the protests have included participants from various backgrounds—including Jewish student groups—Harvard and other institutions have faced increasing scrutiny. Harvard has acknowledged the presence of both antisemitism and anti-Arab or anti-Muslim bias on campus and pledged to address these issues.

However, in April, the Trump administration issued Harvard a set of demands, including eliminating diversity programs, reforming admissions and hiring practices, rejecting students labeled as “hostile to American values,” and auditing Middle East-related academic centers. Harvard declined these demands, prompting the freezing of over $2.2 billion in grants and contracts by various federal agencies.

In response, Harvard filed a separate lawsuit in April, claiming the administration’s funding cuts violate its First Amendment rights.

Trump has also floated the idea of revoking Harvard’s tax-exempt status, and in a letter from Noem, the administration warned of further action unless Harvard provided additional data on foreign students’ protest activities, including video and audio from the past five years.

Harvard maintains it has fulfilled all legal disclosure requirements. In a letter to the university community, Harvard President Alan Garber described the Trump administration’s actions as “retaliation” for the school’s refusal to compromise its academic independence.

Garber argued that the move represents a broader attempt by the federal government to exert unlawful control over Harvard’s curriculum, faculty, and student body.

The university’s lawsuit warns of “irreparable harm” from the decertification and urges the court to stop what it calls a “lawless action.”

White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson responded by accusing Harvard of prioritizing legal battles over student safety. “If only Harvard cared this much about removing anti-American, antisemitic, pro-terrorist agitators from its campus, it wouldn’t be in this situation,” she said.

For now, the court’s injunction offers a temporary shield for Harvard and its international students, as the legal battle over academic freedom and immigration policy continues to unfold.