Judge Blocks Trump Ban On Foreign Students At Harvard In Major Legal Showdown

Harvard News: Judge Temporarily Blocks Trump Move to Ban Foreign Students at Harvard

A federal judge has temporarily stopped the Trump administration from banning Harvard University from enrolling international students. This decision comes after Harvard sued the government, saying the move was meant to punish the university for not following President Donald Trump’s political agenda.

Judge Allison Burroughs issued the temporary order on Friday, giving Harvard and its 7,000 international students some relief. The judge said the policy could cause serious harm before the court had time to fully hear the case. She set two more hearings for May 27 and May 29 to decide the next steps.

Harvard said the government’s plan would have forced it to take back thousands of student offers, disrupt many academic programs, and deeply affect its international students just days before graduation.

“Without its international students, Harvard is not Harvard,” the university said in its lawsuit. Foreign students make up around 27% of Harvard’s current enrollment.

The Trump administration announced on Thursday that it would cancel Harvard’s certification to enroll international students starting in the 2025–2026 academic year. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem accused Harvard of promoting violence, antisemitism, and even working with the Chinese Communist Party—claims that were not backed by evidence.

In response, Harvard President Alan Garber said the administration was trying to control what the university teaches and who it admits. “This is another attack meant to punish us for not giving up our academic independence,” Garber said in a message to the Harvard community.

The administration’s actions against Harvard are part of a bigger conflict between Trump and elite universities. Trump and his supporters believe top schools, including Harvard, are biased toward left-wing ideas. In the past, the administration froze nearly $3 billion in grants to Harvard, considered ending its tax-exempt status, and began investigations into civil rights issues.

While Harvard has pushed back strongly, some other universities have given in to similar pressure. Columbia University, for example, agreed to review its disciplinary processes and course content on the Middle East after Trump threatened to cut $400 million in funding.

The judge’s temporary block gives international students like Leo Gerden, a Swedish student graduating this year, some hope. “This is a great first step,” Gerden said, though he added that many students are still unsure about what will happen next.

The policy not only affects education but could also hurt Harvard’s finances. International students often pay full tuition, which helps fund scholarships for American students. If foreign students are banned, it could mean less money for the university overall. In fact, Harvard’s bond values have already started to fall since Trump first warned of funding cuts back in March.

Trump’s administration has also accused some U.S. universities of ignoring the safety of Jewish students during recent campus protests against Israel’s war in Gaza. Harvard said it takes all civil rights complaints seriously and is committed to fighting antisemitism.

This legal fight highlights a growing tension between the federal government and institutions that want to remain independent of political influence. Harvard says it is standing up not just for itself but for the principle of academic freedom.

For now, the judge’s order means international students can stay at Harvard—at least temporarily. The full outcome will depend on what happens in the court hearings later this month. Until then, students and faculty remain in a state of uncertainty, hoping for a long-term solution that protects education and freedom of thought.

Highlights: