A federal judge on Monday extended a temporary block on President Donald Trump’s attempt to bar foreign nationals from entering the United States to study at Harvard University, giving herself more time to decide whether a longer-term injunction is warranted.
U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs, presiding over the case in Boston, prolonged the temporary restraining order until June 23. It was originally set to expire Thursday. “We’ll kick out an opinion as soon as we can,” Burroughs said at the end of the hearing.
The legal challenge, brought by Harvard University, targets a presidential proclamation signed by Trump on June 5. The order sought to suspend the entry of international students into Harvard and halt participation in exchange visitor programs for an initial six-month period, citing national security concerns.
Ian Gershengorn, Harvard’s lead attorney, argued that a preliminary injunction is essential to prevent the federal government from enforcing what he described as a retaliatory and unconstitutional measure. He contended that the move violates Harvard’s First Amendment rights by punishing the university for resisting attempts to influence its curriculum, governance, and academic freedom.
“The proclamation is a plain violation of the First Amendment,” Gershengorn told the court.
Judge Burroughs initially issued a temporary restraining order on June 6, halting enforcement of Trump’s directive. A preliminary injunction, if granted, would offer broader and longer-term relief.
Harvard, which enrolls approximately 6,800 international students—about 27 percent of its total student body—has come under repeated fire from the Trump administration. The federal government has already taken steps to freeze $2.5 billion in funding and proposed stripping the university of its tax-exempt status.
In a separate move, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced on May 22 that the department was revoking Harvard’s certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, which authorizes it to admit foreign students. Judge Burroughs quickly blocked that decision as well.
Although DHS has since shifted to a more protracted administrative process to challenge the university’s eligibility, Burroughs indicated during a May 29 hearing that she was inclined to issue a broad injunction to maintain the current state of affairs.
One week later, Trump signed the proclamation, declaring that Harvard could no longer be trusted to manage international education programs responsibly. He also directed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to evaluate whether to revoke visas of foreign students already studying at the university.
Harvard, which has filed two lawsuits before Judge Burroughs—one to unfreeze its federal funds and the other to stop restrictions on international students—argues that these actions represent a politically motivated campaign to intimidate the institution.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Justice Department urged the court not to treat Trump’s proclamation as legally equivalent to DHS Secretary Noem’s actions, arguing that it did not apply to current students and was based on separate legal authority. The case remains ongoing as the court weighs broader constitutional questions.
