A U.S. federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to strip Harvard University of its ability to enrol international students, following a lawsuit that marks a major escalation in tensions between the White House and the Ivy League institution.
Harvard quickly filed a lawsuit, accusing the administration of violating both federal law and the university's constitutional rights. The university argued that the action amounted to retaliation for its refusal to “surrender academic independence” and accused the government of trying to exert illegal control over its curriculum, faculty, and student body.
"With the stroke of a pen, the government has sought to erase a quarter of Harvard's student body," the university wrote in its lawsuit. International students account for more than 27% of current enrolments—around 6,800 individuals.
In a letter to the Harvard community, interim President Alan Garber condemned the federal move as “unlawful and unwarranted.” He described it as part of a broader campaign by the Trump administration targeting elite institutions that refuse to conform to its political agenda.
The White House has defended its actions by accusing Harvard of failing to adequately address antisemitism and calling for reforms in admissions and hiring. "If only Harvard cared this much about ending the scourge of anti-American, anti-Semitic, pro-terrorist agitators on their campus," said White House Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson. “They wouldn’t be in this situation to begin with.”
The administration has also threatened to strip Harvard of its tax-exempt status and, in April, froze $2.2 billion in federal funding to the university. That prompted an earlier legal challenge from Harvard, which remains ongoing.
Harvard is not alone. The Trump administration has launched investigations into dozens of universities nationwide, including Columbia University, pressuring them to clamp down on pro-Palestinian activism and alleged bias against conservative voices.
Although Harvard has made some concessions—including the dismissal of senior staff at its Center for Middle Eastern Studies—the latest court case signals a new phase in the university’s resistance. In its legal fight, Harvard has enlisted prominent Republican attorneys, including Robert Hur, the former special counsel who investigated President Joe Biden's handling of classified documents.
Foreign students at Harvard say they are now caught in the political crossfire. "I had almost forgotten about the earlier threat of a ban, and then Thursday’s announcement suddenly came," said Kat Xie, a Chinese STEM student entering her second year. “I'm in shock.”
Many international students pay full tuition and are ineligible for U.S. financial aid. At Harvard Law School, for instance, tuition alone tops $80,000 a year, with total annual expenses reaching about $120,000. Their presence is a major financial pillar for the university.
With the temporary restraining order in place, Harvard’s foreign students will remain enrolled for now, but further legal battles loom as the university prepares for what could be a prolonged courtroom confrontation with the federal government.
German police say at least 17 people were injured in a knife attack at Hamburg’s main train station on Friday.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ordered the arrest of those responsible for the failed launch of the country’s second naval destroyer, calling the incident an “unpardonable criminal act” and demanding accountability amid skepticism over the extent of damage to the warship.
Russia and Ukraine have carried out a major prisoner exchange, each returning 270 military personnel and 120 civilians to the other side, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.
Afghanistan is stepping up calls for international climate support as NEPA chief Mawlawi Matiulhaq Khalis leads talks on rising food insecurity and water shortages, warning of severe environmental threats including Kabul’s looming groundwater crisis.
Chinese clean energy companies risk losing tax benefits under the Inflation Reduction Act if the One Big Beautiful Bill becomes law, following its narrow passage in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The U.S. Mint will end production of the penny by early next year, citing high manufacturing costs and a directive from President Donald Trump.
President Donald Trump signed four executive orders directing the Department of Energy to ease regulations and accelerate the construction of nuclear reactors.
The Trump administration has granted Syria a temporary waiver from key U.S. sanctions and loosened business restrictions, marking the first formal step in a broader plan to dismantle decades-old penalties.
U.S. federal authorities have charged the alleged leader of an Eastern European neo-Nazi group with plotting acts of domestic terrorism, following an investigation that uncovered plans targeting Jewish and minority communities.
Tensions flare in the India-France Rafale deal as France refuses to share the fighter jet’s source code, limiting India’s ability to integrate indigenous weapons and reducing its combat autonomy.
France has rejected India’s request to share source codes needed to integrate indigenous weapons into Rafale fighter jets. Despite repeated appeals, French manufacturer Dassault Aviation has refused to compromise on the issue
Anton Kobyakov, adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin, claimed at the St. Petersburg International Legal Forum that the USSR’s dissolution was legally invalid and that the Soviet Union still exists under constitutional law, framing the Ukraine war as an “internal process.”
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Two staff members from the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C.- Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim were shot and killed on Wednesday night by a lone gunman as they left an event at the Capital Jewish Museum, close to the White House.
President Donald Trump signed four executive orders directing the Department of Energy to ease regulations and accelerate the construction of nuclear reactors.
The Trump administration has granted Syria a temporary waiver from key U.S. sanctions and loosened business restrictions, marking the first formal step in a broader plan to dismantle decades-old penalties.
U.S. federal authorities have charged the alleged leader of an Eastern European neo-Nazi group with plotting acts of domestic terrorism, following an investigation that uncovered plans targeting Jewish and minority communities.
Iran and the United States ended their fifth round of nuclear talks in Rome with some progress but no resolution, according to the mediator from Oman.
Russia is preparing to present Ukraine with a draft peace proposal once a recent prisoner swap concludes, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced Friday, signaling a potential step forward in peace efforts.
Chinese clean energy companies risk losing tax benefits under the Inflation Reduction Act if the One Big Beautiful Bill becomes law, following its narrow passage in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The U.S. Mint will end production of the penny by early next year, citing high manufacturing costs and a directive from President Donald Trump.
President Donald Trump signed four executive orders directing the Department of Energy to ease regulations and accelerate the construction of nuclear reactors.
The Trump administration has granted Syria a temporary waiver from key U.S. sanctions and loosened business restrictions, marking the first formal step in a broader plan to dismantle decades-old penalties.
U.S. federal authorities have charged the alleged leader of an Eastern European neo-Nazi group with plotting acts of domestic terrorism, following an investigation that uncovered plans targeting Jewish and minority communities.
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