Harvard University has initiated a lawsuit against the Trump administration regarding a recent declaration that prohibits Ivy League institutions from enrolling new international students. This legal skirmish marks yet another chapter in the ongoing conflict between the federal government and the nation’s oldest university.
In an amended lawsuit filed Thursday, Harvard is requesting that judges put a halt to Trump’s declaration made earlier that week, which stops the processing of F, M, or J visas for new international students.
Harvard’s legal team argues that “both the president’s declaration and the actions taken by the DHS Secretary violate the First Amendment.” They assert that this is part of a broader, coordinated effort by the government to retaliate against Harvard for its previous decision to reject governmental influence over its governance and educational practices.
In light of the situation, the institution has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for comment.
The revised legal application highlights that the institution is hindered from being able to accept international students. This stems from an earlier lawsuit filed by Harvard after the DHS sought to terminate the accreditation of its Student and Exchange Visitors Program. Fortunately, U.S. District Judge Alison Burrows has temporarily blocked any move to revoke this accreditation.
The declaration, issued on Wednesday, instructs Secretary of State Marco Rubio to consider “revoking existing F, M, or J visas for current Harvard students who fit the criteria outlined in the declaration.”
This week, Harvard also took steps to prevent the freezing of about $2.5 billion in federal funding, following a significant ruling from a federal judge.
The Trump administration has accused Harvard of failing to comply with federal law by not adequately addressing anti-Semitism on its campus and not dealing effectively with increasing crime rates at universities. Furthermore, the White House claims that Harvard has not provided sufficient details about known illegal or dangerous activities and has reported missing information on just three students.
