The weaponization of the justice system is nothing new. But this takes it too far.
Because a lawsuit against this top Republican sent Washington, D.C. into an uproar.
Federal Judge Blocks Trump Administration’s Move to Restrict Harvard’s Foreign Student Enrollment
On Friday, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order, halting the Trump administration’s effort to revoke Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students.
The decision marks a significant development in an ongoing dispute between the administration and the university over campus conduct and federal oversight.
The judge’s order prevents the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from stripping Harvard of its certification in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, which allows U.S. institutions to host visa-holding international students.
Hours before the ruling, Harvard filed a lawsuit accusing the administration of a “campaign of retribution” for the university’s exercise of its First Amendment rights.
The lawsuit argues, “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. Without its international students, Harvard is not Harvard.”
Administration’s Actions and Justification
The DHS announced the revocation of Harvard’s visa program certification less than a day earlier, citing “pro-terrorist conduct” on campus.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem stated, “This administration is holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus.”
She further remarked, “It is a privilege, not a right, for universities to enroll foreign students and benefit from their higher tuition payments to help pad their multibillion-dollar endowments. Harvard had plenty of opportunity to do the right thing. It refused. They have lost their Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification as a result of their failure to adhere to the law. Let this serve as a warning to all universities and academic institutions across the country.”
The decision would have barred Harvard from admitting new foreign students and required current ones to transfer or lose their legal status in the U.S. before the upcoming academic year.
Harvard’s Legal and Institutional Response
Harvard’s lawsuit contends that the administration’s actions constitute “clear retaliation for Harvard exercising its First Amendment rights to control Harvard’s governance, curriculum and the ‘ideology’ of its faculty and students.”
In a statement to National Review, the university called the decision “unlawful,” emphasizing, “We are fully committed to maintaining Harvard’s ability to host our international students and scholars, who hail from more than 140 countries and enrich the University – and this nation – immeasurably.”
The dispute originated when Noem, on April 16, demanded records of foreign students’ “criminality and misconduct,” including protest footage and five years of disciplinary records. Harvard’s refusal to comply led to the visa program termination threat. A letter from Noem, obtained by Fox News, gave Harvard 72 hours to provide the requested information to reinstate its certification.
This legal battle follows other tensions, including the administration’s recent termination of $2.7 million in DHS grants to Harvard, and is the second lawsuit filed by the university against the administration in two weeks.
