A federal judge in Massachusetts has halted the Trump administration’s effort to block Harvard University from hosting international students.
In a June 20 order, U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs granted a preliminary injunction blocking the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and other federal agencies from implementing the revocation of Harvard’s authorization to host foreign students and scholars. The judge also ordered DHS to issue guidance reversing the revocation within 72 hours.
The case stems from an announcement last month by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, declaring the termination of Harvard’s foreign student authorization, known as the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification. She said Harvard’s leadership had created an unsafe campus environment by letting pro-terrorist, anti-American agitators harass and assault people, many of them Jewish students. She also said the school collaborated with “individuals linked to China’s defense-industrial base” and “Chinese universities tied to military advancements” in critical research areas.
“This administration is holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence, anti-Semitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus,” Noem said in a May 22 statement. “It is a privilege, not a right, for universities to enroll foreign students and benefit from their higher tuition payments to help pad their multibillion-dollar endowments.”
Besides prohibiting Harvard from enrolling international students through the SEVP program, the revocation meant that existing foreign students must transfer to another school or lose their legal status.
A day after Noem’s announcement, Harvard sued, calling the move unconstitutional and an “unprecedented and retaliatory attack on academic freedom.” The university alleged it was being punished for refusing to comply with demands from federal officials that Harvard argues were designed to control speech and viewpoint diversity on campus. Alleging violations of the First Amendment and the Administrative Procedure Act, Harvard contended that the revocation bypassed established legal procedures and lacked any clear regulatory basis.
“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 attorneys wrote in their complaint. “Harvard’s certification is essential for each of Harvard’s thousands of international students to lawfully remain in this country while they complete coursework, obtain degrees, and continue critical research.”
Harvard said the revocation would bar thousands of international students from entering the United States for the upcoming summer and fall terms. The university currently hosts 5,000 students from 143 countries on F-1 and J-1 visas and sponsors an additional 2,000 recent graduates in optional practical training programs.
The university then filed a motion for a temporary restraining order, which the judge granted on May 23 and later extended on May 29.
During a June 16 court hearing on the matter, Justice Department attorney Tiberius Davis cited several concerns about Harvard, including reports of hate crimes on campus, the university’s alleged unlawful use of affirmative action, and alleged failure to discipline students engaged in misconduct. Ultimately, he said the administration no longer trusted Harvard to properly screen foreign students.
Harvard, like several other universities, came under fire for its handling of pro-Palestinian protests and related campus activity following the outbreak of the Israel–Hamas war in October 2023, after the Gaza-based terrorist group launched a series of surprise attacks on Israel.
The university has also faced criticism from Jewish students and alumni over alleged incidents of anti-Semitism on campus.
The Epoch Times has reached out to the Justice Department for comment on the June 20 ruling.
Sam Dorman contributed to this report.
Tom Ozimek
Reporter
Tom Ozimek is a senior reporter for The Epoch Times. He has a broad background in journalism, deposit insurance, marketing and communications, and adult education.
