Harvard sues Trump administration over ban on foreign students

Harvard University has filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration, calling its ban on enrolling foreign students unconstitutional and devastating. The move threatens over 7,000 visa holders and could severely impact academic operations just days before graduation.

BOSTON — Harvard University has filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration, alleging that its decision to block the enrollment of foreign students is unconstitutional and would devastate both the institution and its international community.

In the suit filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Boston, Harvard claims the policy violates the First Amendment and retaliates against the university for refusing to comply with political directives from the White House.

“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,” the university said in its filing. “Without its international students, Harvard is not Harvard.”

The university announced plans to seek a temporary restraining order to stop the Department of Homeland Security from enforcing the ban, which has caused chaos across campus just days before graduation.

International students—many of whom conduct research, lead labs, teach classes, and compete in athletics—are now facing urgent decisions: transfer to other institutions or risk losing their legal right to stay in the U.S.

Harvard warned that the sudden policy shift threatens not only its academic operations but also the well-being of thousands of students who call the university home.

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