19 hours ago
Last Updated:May 29, 2025, 22:18 IST
US District Judge Allison Burroughs granted Harvard’s request for a preliminary injunction, keeping the government’s action on hold until the case is fully resolved.
The university was in court seeking to extend a temporary order blocking the Trump administration from revoking the school’s right to host international students.
A US Federal judge on Thursday extended an order blocking the Donald Trump administration’s move to refrain Harvard University from enrolling foreign students.
US District Judge Allison Burroughs granted Harvard’s request for a preliminary injunction, keeping the government’s action on hold until the case is fully resolved, news agency AFP reported. The university had sought the court to extend the temporary order blocking the Trump administration from revoking the institute’s right to host international students.
The judge had issued a temporary restraining order last week after the administration abruptly announced it would cancel Harvard’s ability to host international students.
In a packed court room with several international students in attendance, Burroughs said she wanted to “maintain the status quo" while the case makes its way through the courts.
Harvard has sued the Department of Homeland Security last week after Secretary Kristi Noem revoked its ability to host foreign students at its campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
In its lawsuit filed in federal court in Boston, the Ivy League institute claimed that the Trump administration’s move is an unconstitutional retaliation for defying the White House’s political demands.
Harvard’s lawyers said that the University’s certification was removed abruptly without any compliance of federal regulations that requires the department to give a legitimate reason for its actions and an advance notice. Moreover it also gives an opportunity to address any issues.
Earlier today, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement director, Todd Lyons sent a letter to Harvard stating that the school has been given 30 days by the government to respond to the alleged grounds for withdrawal, including accusations that they had been fostering antisemitism and violence on campus and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party.
Harvard is at the centre of a growing political and legal battle with the White House. While other universities risk losing federal funding and the ability to enroll international students unless they meet shifting government demands, Harvard is actively fighting back in court—and paying a steep price for it.
It has become a primary target for the Donald Trump administration amid its ongoing campaign against elite academic institutions. The White House has frozen over $2.6 billion in federal research funding earmarked for the university, seeking to enforce compliance with a series of demands aimed at reshaping the institution’s policies and operations. Key among these demands is a push for greater governmental control over the university’s curriculum.
(With inputs from agencies)
Location :Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
First Published:News world US Judge Extends Order Blocking Trump Administration Ban On Foreign Students At Harvard
