A federal judge blocked the Trump administration’s order barring Harvard University from enrolling international students. The ruling came just hours after Harvard announced it was suing the administration over the directive. The federal judge issued a temporary restraining order against President Donald Trump’s directive, allowing it to remain blocked as the case proceeds in court.
DHS sends notice to Harvard
On Thursday, May 22, the Department of Homeland Security sent a letter to Harvard explaining its reasoning.
“In April, I requested records pertaining to non-immigrant students enrolled at Harvard University, including information regarding misconduct and other offenses that would render foreign students inadmissible or removable,” the letter stated.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said the university failed to provide a sufficient response, and therefore, “consequences must follow,” as “the Trump administration will enforce the law and root out the evils of anti-Americanism and antisemitism in society and campuses.”
The DHS order prohibits the school from admitting any more international students and requires currently enrolled foreign exchange students to transfer.
Order would impact nearly 7,000 students
The administration’s order would have wide-reaching impacts. According to Harvard’s lawsuit, the school has more than 7,000 visa holders, who make up 27% of the student body.
Harvard-Visa-ComplaintDownload
The university also reported generating $1.4 billion in revenue from all students in fiscal year 2024, including foreign exchange students’ tuition and costs paid to the university that would disappear if Trump’s order took effect. That figure comes as Harvard has seen billions in federal funding frozen by the Trump administration.
“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’s lawsuit stated.
U.S. District Court Judge Allison Burroughs wrote in her ruling that Harvard argued Trump’s order would “sustain immediate and irreparable injury before there is an opportunity to hear from all parties. Thus, a TRO is justified to preserve the status quo pending a hearing, and the Plaintiff’s Motion is GRANTED.”
China reacts to Trump’s order
Harvard wasn’t alone in criticizing the DHS order. In response to the announced ban on international students, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson warned that such actions would harm America’s global reputation. Chinese students make up nearly one-fifth of Harvard’s international population.
During a briefing in Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning emphasized that the U.S. and China both benefit from educational ties and should avoid politicizing them.
“The relevant actions by the U.S. side will only damage its own image and international credibility,” Ning said, adding that China would firmly protect the rights and interests of Chinese students and scholars abroad.
Burroughs blocked the Trump administration’s directive through a temporary restraining order, resulting from Harvard’s lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for next week.
