Harvard sues US govt over ban on enrolling international students

Harvard University has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over its decision to block the university from enrolling foreign students, calling it unconstitutional and politically motivated.

In a lawsuit filed Friday in federal court in Boston, Harvard said the government’s action violates the First Amendment and will have an “immediate and devastating effect for Harvard and more than 7,000 visa holders.”

“With the stroke of a pen, the government has sought to erase a quarter of Harvard’s student body, international students who contribute significantly to the University and its mission,” Harvard said in its suit.


ALSO READ: Harvard’s ability to enrol international students halted by Trump administration

The school said it plans to file for a temporary restraining order to block the Department of Homeland Security from carrying out the move.

Harvard enrols almost 6,800 foreign students at its campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Most are graduate students and they come from more than 100 countries.

ALSO READ: US bans Harvard from admitting foreign students: What it means for nearly the 7,000 already on campus

The department announced the action Thursday, accusing Harvard of creating an unsafe campus environment by allowing “anti-American, pro-terrorist agitators” to assault Jewish students on campus. It also accused Harvard of coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party, contending the school had hosted and trained members of a Chinese paramilitary group as recently as 2024.

ALSO READ: Harvard legal fight supercharged by Trump foreign student ban

Harvard President Alan Garber earlier this month said the university has made changes to its governance over the past year and a half, including a broad strategy to combat antisemitism, He said Harvard would not budge on its “its core, legally-protected principles” over fears of retaliation. Harvard has said it will respond at a later time to allegations first raised by House Republicans about coordination with the Chinese Communist Party.

The threat to Harvard’s international enrollment stems from an April 16 request from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who demanded that Harvard provide information about foreign students that might implicate them in violence or protests that could lead to their deportation.

Noem said Harvard can regain its ability to host foreign students if it produces a trove of records on foreign students within 72 hours. Her updated request demands all records, including audio or video footage, of foreign students participating in protests or dangerous activity on campus.

The suit is separate from the university’s earlier one challenging more than $2 billion in federal cuts imposed by the Republican administration.

(With agency inputs)

Harvard foreign student ban: Why the US blocked it & who's affected

1/6

The US government has stopped Harvard University from admitting new international students. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the decision, which impacts around 6,800 foreign students already studying at the university. Each year, 500–800 Indian students join Harvard, and currently, there are 788 enrolled.

Read more: Harvard sues US over ban on enrolling int’l students

Read more: Prominent Indians who studied at Harvard

The US government has stopped Harvard University from admitting new international students. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the decision, which impacts around 6,800 foreign studen..

Read More

Foreign students already at Harvard may need to transfer to another approved university or risk losing their legal status. The DHS accused Harvard of failing to provide required records and said the university was fostering a campus climate unsafe for Jewish students and supportive of pro-Hamas views.

Foreign students already at Harvard may need to transfer to another approved university or risk losing their legal status. The DHS accused Harvard of failing to provide required records and said the ..

Read More

Students set to graduate this semester can still do so. However, starting from the 2025–26 academic year, Harvard won’t be able to support new or continuing international students unless the ban is reversed. The university could regain its status if it submits specific records within 72 hours.

Students set to graduate this semester can still do so. However, starting from the 2025–26 academic year, Harvard won’t be able to support new or continuing international students unless the ban is r..

Read More

The US controls who can get student visas through a program called the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). Without it, Harvard can’t help foreign students get visas, even if it accepts them.

The US controls who can get student visas through a program called the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). Without it, Harvard can’t help foreign students get visas, even if it accepts them.

The move follows Harvard's refusal to follow federal orders to limit pro-Palestinian protests and dismantle diversity programs. In response, the US has frozen over $2.6 billion in research funds. Trump has also called for removing Harvard’s tax-exempt status, which could hurt its funding.

The move follows Harvard's refusal to follow federal orders to limit pro-Palestinian protests and dismantle diversity programs. In response, the US has frozen over $2.6 billion in research funds. Tru..

Read More

This decision may affect more than just Harvard. The DHS has warned other universities to change their policies or face similar actions. Meanwhile, thousands of foreign students are left in limbo, and Massachusetts could lose the economic and research contributions these students bring.

This decision may affect more than just Harvard. The DHS has warned other universities to change their policies or face similar actions. Meanwhile, thousands of foreign students are left in limbo, an..

Read More

See More Slideshows