BOSTON – Federal Judge Halts Trump’s Ban on Foreign Students at Harvard

A federal judge in Boston issued a temporary injunction on Thursday, blocking President Donald Trump from prohibiting foreign students seeking to enter the United States for Harvard’s programs. This decision comes amidst a growing conflict between Ivy League schools and the Republican administration.

US District Judge Allison Burrows provided a two-page temporary restraining order, indicating that Trump’s order aimed at banning these students could lead to further legal disputes. The ruling states that for the next six months, the government cannot prevent foreigners from coming to study at Harvard before the case’s details are fully examined in court.

Just last month, Judge Burrows had also stopped Trump from enforcing another directive that would restrict Harvard from enrolling international students, a group that constitutes more than a quarter of the university’s student population.

In light of the new order, Harvard filed a revised lawsuit, asserting that Trump’s recent action contravened Burrows’ earlier ruling. The university emphasized that this declaration impinges on the rights of thousands of students wishing to pursue their education, arguing that without international students, Harvard could lose its identity as an institution.

Moreover, Burrows’ latest action extended an earlier temporary restraining order from May 23, which had already prohibited the administration from imposing limitations on international student registration at Harvard.

Earlier in the day, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson claimed the university had previously used harsh language against Harvard, labeling it a “hotbed of anti-American, anti-Semitic and professional terrorist agitators.”

Jackson stated that Harvard’s actions could compromise the integrity of the US student and exchange visitor visa system, thus creating risks to national security. In his justification for the ban, Trump cited concerns regarding national security as the main reason for restricting international students from participating in research in Cambridge.

The initial suspension outlined in Trump’s declaration spanned six months, with the possibility of an extension. It also instructed the US State Department to evaluate the revocation of academic or exchange visas for current students meeting the criteria described in the order.

Harvard asserted that the administration was retaliating because the university refused to comply with requests regarding its governance, curriculum, and the ideological perspectives of its faculty and student body. The university had filed its lawsuit following an announcement from Homeland Security Secretary Christie Norm about plans to withdraw certification from Harvard’s Student and Exchange Visitors Program.

Burrows had swiftly blocked these actions upon their announcement. Despite this, the department indicated that it would revise its approach and address Harvard’s accreditation through a protracted administrative process.

Looking ahead, Burrows mentioned plans to issue a long-term interim injunction to shield international students at Harvard, citing the necessity of such measures for their protection. Trump’s two-page directive released on Wednesday criticized Harvard for its historical ties to foreign relations and for purportedly having connections with foreign adversaries, including China.

In response, Harvard highlighted an increase in crime on campus and expressed its inability to sufficiently report illegal or dangerous activities involving foreign students to the Department of Homeland Security. The university’s court submission referenced these claims as unfounded.