Judge extends injunction against Trump administration's restriction on international students at Harvard
A federal judge has extended a temporary restraining order, blocking the Trump administration from barring Harvard University from enrolling foreign students. The move allows the Ivy League school to continue admitting international students while a lawsuit is ongoing.
The order was issued by U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs, who initially imposed the temporary restraining order last week. The ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed by Harvard after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) withdrew the university's Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification.
If allowed to proceed, the revocation would have prevented Harvard from sponsoring or hosting nonimmigrant international students and scholars on F-1 or J-1 visas for the 2025-26 academic year. DHS justified the revocation by alleging Harvard failed to turn over specific information about international students, such as disciplinary records.
In court filings, Harvard claims the revocation is retaliatory, arbitrary, and not grounded in legitimate regulatory concerns. The university asserts that the administration’s actions discard core constitutional protections and have immediate and devastating effects on Harvard’s community. Thousands of current and incoming international students are at risk of being unable to enter or remain in the U.S. to complete their studies.
A hearing has been scheduled to determine whether the temporary restraining order will be extended. The dispute over international enrollment at Harvard is the latest escalation in a battle between the White House and the nation's oldest and wealthiest college. In April, DHS sent a letter to the school demanding a range of records related to foreign students, including discipline records and anything related to "dangerous or violent activity."
Already, the Trump administration’s efforts to stop Harvard from enrolling international students have created an environment of "profound fear, concern, and confusion," the university’s director of immigration services said in a court filing. International Harvard students arriving in Boston are being subjected to additional screening by Customs and Border Protection agents. International students seeking to obtain their visas are facing delays at consulates and embassies.
More than 7,000 international students, exchange scholars, and alumni participating in a post-graduate career training period rely on Harvard for their sponsorship and legal status in the United States. The sanction, if allowed to proceed, could upend some graduate schools that draw heavily from abroad. Among those at risk was Belgium’s Princess Elisabeth, who just finished her first year in a Harvard graduate program.
- The weather of uncertainty surrounding Harvard's international enrollment has intensified, with thousands of students potentially impacted.
- In addition to educational implications, the political tensions between the White House and Harvard University have significantly affected the environment for international students.
- The government's decision to revoke Harvard's Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification for failing to disclose certain information about international students has led to a general news story that extends beyond education-and-self-development.
- The ongoing dispute between Harvard and the Trump administration, centered around international enrollment, has created a climate of concern not only within the university's community in Seattle, but also for international students worldwide.
