Court Stops Trump’s Action Against Harvard
A United States judge has stopped an attempt by former President Donald Trump to stop Harvard University from accepting students from other countries. This decision came on Friday, after Harvard quickly filed an emergency request to a federal court in Boston.
Why Harvard Went to Court
Harvard asked the court for help after the Trump administration said the university could no longer use a special government system called the Student and Exchange Visitor Program. This system is required for enrolling international students.
US District Judge Allison Burroughs agreed that the Trump administration’s actions could cause serious harm to Harvard and its students. The judge gave a temporary order stopping the ban for two weeks. More court hearings are planned for May 27 and 29.
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Harvard’s Second Lawsuit Against Trump
This is the second time in two months that Harvard has taken legal action against Trump’s administration. The latest lawsuit followed an announcement by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. She said Harvard could not use the student system anymore because it did not answer the administration’s concerns.
Kristi Noem claimed:
“This administration is holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus.”
What the Ban Means
If the ban were allowed, Harvard would not be able to accept new foreign students. The current international students would need to transfer to other schools. There are over 7,000 foreign students at Harvard.
Harvard’s lawsuit said this would have a “devastating effect” on the university and said:
“With the stroke of a pen, the government has sought to erase a quarter of Harvard’s student body… Without its international students, Harvard is not Harvard.”
The Background: Trump’s Fight with Universities
This legal battle is part of Trump’s wider campaign against top universities. It started after pro-Palestine protests broke out on US campuses in 2024, in response to Israel’s actions in Gaza. Trump made stopping these protests a big part of his re-election campaign.
He has accused universities of:
- Promoting antisemitism
- Running unfair diversity programs
- Supporting anti-American views
However, protest organizers say there was no widespread antisemitism, and some protests were led by Jewish students and groups, like Jewish Voice for Peace.
Harvard’s Response to Trump’s Pressure
Earlier this year, the Trump administration gave Harvard a list of demands, including:
- Changing hiring and admissions rules
- Rejecting students “hostile” to American values
- Removing diversity programs
- Auditing academic centers, especially those related to the Middle East
Harvard refused these demands. In response, Trump’s team:
- Froze $2.2 billion in grants
- Stopped $60 million in contracts
- Threatened to remove Harvard’s tax-exempt status
In April, Harvard filed a lawsuit, calling these moves a violation of the US Constitution.
Harvard Defends Its Rights
In its latest complaint, Harvard said Trump’s actions caused:
“Irreparable harm inflicted by this lawless action.”
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson criticized Harvard, saying:
“If only Harvard cared this much about ending the scourge of anti-American, anti-Semitic, pro-terrorist agitators on their campus…”
Harvard’s president, Alan Garber, told the university community that the government was trying to control Harvard’s:
- Curriculum
- Faculty
- Student body
He said this was a clear attack on Harvard’s independence.
Harvard’s International Students in Trouble
The de-certification has already caused problems for many parts of the university, including:
- Academic programs
- Research labs
- Special clinics
Harvard said it has nearly 6,800 international students, which is 27% of the total student population.
The Trump administration also asked Harvard to hand over videos and audio of foreign students’ protest activities from the past five years. Harvard replied that it has already shared all legally required information.
Source: Al Jazeera
