Court temporarily inhibits Trump's preventive measure against Harvard's international students.
On Friday, a United States District Judge temporarily halted the Trump administration's decision to revoke Harvard University's authorization to enroll foreign students, a policy the prestigious Ivy League institution deemed part of President Trump's effort to retaliate against it for upholding its academic independence.
The temporary reprieve offers relief to thousands of international students who faced the prospect of being forced to transfer under a policy that Harvard dubbed a "blatant violation" of the U.S. Constitution and federal laws, and claimed would have an "immediate and devastating effect" on the university and more than 7,000 visa holders.
In its lawsuit filed in Boston Federal Court, Harvard argued that the policy would necessitate a withdrawal of admissions for thousands of students and disrupt numerous academic programs, clinics, courses, and research laboratories, just days prior to graduation. The university, which was established in 1636, enrolled nearly 6,800 international students in the current academic year, making up 27% of its total student body.
The move further escalated the ongoing battle between Harvard and the White House, as President Trump seeks to pressure universities, law firms, media outlets, courts, and other institutions to align with his political agenda. Trump and fellow Republicans have long accused elite universities of left-wing bias.
Harvard has been at odds with the Trump administration, having previously filed a lawsuit to reclaim nearly $3 billion in frozen or canceled federal grants. In recent weeks, the administration has proposed ending Harvard's tax-exempt status, hiking taxes on its endowment, and initiating an investigation into potential civil rights violations.
Leo Gerden, a Swedish student due to graduate Harvard with a degree in economics and government this month, hailed the judge's ruling as a "great first step," but expressed concern that international students would remain in legal limbo during the anticipated lengthy court battle.
"There is no single decision by Trump or by Harvard or by a judge that is going to put an end to this tyranny of what Trump is doing," Gerden said.
In her brief order, Judge Allison Burroughs – an appointee of former President Barack Obama – noted that Harvard could be harmed before there was an opportunity to hear the case in full. Scheduled hearings are set for May 27 and May 29 to consider the next steps in the case, with Judge Burroughs also presiding over Harvard's lawsuit over the frozen grant funds.
Harvard University President Alan Garber stated that the administration was illegally seeking to control the private university's curriculum, faculty, and student body. "The revocation continues a series of government actions to retaliate against Harvard for our refusal to surrender our academic independence," Garber wrote in a letter to the Harvard community.
The revocation could potentially impact Harvard's finances, as international students often pay full tuition, effectively subsidizing aid for other students at many U.S. universities. In a statement, a DHS spokesperson opined, "It is a privilege, not a right, for universities to enroll foreign students and benefit from their higher tuition payments."
Source: France 24 with Reuters.
The temporary halt in the Trump administration's decision to revoke Harvard University's authorization to enroll foreign students provides relief for thousands of international students, as their prospective transfer under the contested policy could disrupt education-and-self-development, academic programs, and research laboratories. Politics continues to escalate between Harvard and the White House, with the ongoing battle extending to finance, as the administration seeks to control Harvard's finances by potentially ending its tax-exempt status or hiking taxes on its endowment.
