International Students
A U.S. federal judge will hear arguments on Monday in a pivotal legal battle between Harvard University and President Donald Trump’s administration over a controversial move that seeks to block international students from entering the United States to study at the prestigious institution.
U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs, presiding in Boston, will consider whether to issue a formal injunction that would halt the implementation of Trump’s recent proclamation while Harvard’s broader lawsuit against the federal government proceeds.
The proclamation, signed by Trump earlier this month, cites national security concerns and aims to suspend the entry of foreign nationals seeking to enroll at Harvard or join exchange programs for an initial period of six months.
The legal standoff comes after Burroughs had already issued a temporary restraining order on June 6, just one day after Trump signed the executive order. That restraining order prevented the administration from immediately enforcing the proclamation, pending further judicial review.
Harvard, one of the oldest and wealthiest universities in the United States, argues that the administration is targeting it for political reasons in violation of the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment.
The university contends that the government is retaliating against it for refusing to conform to efforts aimed at reshaping its governance, academic curriculum, and the ideological leanings of its faculty and students.
With nearly 6,800 international students making up 27% of its student body, Harvard views the proclamation as a direct attack on its institutional identity. Most of these students come from countries such as China and India, which have traditionally been key contributors to the university’s academic community.
Adding to the pressure, the Department of Homeland Security, under Secretary Kristi Noem, revoked Harvard’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification on May 22. Although Judge Burroughs quickly blocked that move, Homeland Security has since launched a separate administrative process to challenge Harvard’s certification.
Despite this shift in tactics, Harvard is pursuing multiple legal avenues. It has filed two lawsuits before Judge Burroughs: one to unfreeze $2.5 billion in federal grants and other funding, and another to stop the enforcement of Trump’s proclamation regarding international student restrictions.
Trump’s executive order also directed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to evaluate whether the visas of currently enrolled international students at Harvard should be revoked, further escalating tensions.
In response, Harvard argues that the administration’s actions would “wreak havoc on the Harvard community,” disrupt academic continuity, and cause chaos in campus life. The university maintains that international students are essential to its academic excellence and global reputation.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Justice Department is urging the court not to treat Trump’s executive proclamation as part of the same case as Noem’s certification revocation. Government lawyers argue that the proclamation is legally distinct, as it does not directly impact currently enrolled students and relies on different statutory authority.
As Monday’s hearing approaches, the outcome could have sweeping implications not just for Harvard, but for other U.S. institutions that depend on international students for both intellectual enrichment and financial stability.
Judge Burroughs has already hinted at a possible broad injunction to preserve the status quo, setting the stage for what could be a landmark ruling in the evolving clash between academia and federal immigration policy.
