A federal judge in the United States has, on Monday, blocked an attempt by President Donald Trump’s administration to prevent foreign nationals from studying at Harvard University.
Judge Allison Burroughs of the U.S. District Court in Boston issued an injunction barring the enforcement of a proclamation signed by Trump, which had sought to ban international students from enrolling at the prestigious Ivy League institution.
This latest injunction builds upon a temporary ruling issued on 5 June, one day after Trump signed the controversial order. The Trump administration had claimed that national security concerns justified its decision to restrict Harvard’s ability to host foreign students.
The president hinted last Friday that his administration might negotiate a resolution with Harvard in the coming days, amid the ongoing legal battle between the White House and the university, which has challenged multiple administrative actions in court.
Trump’s proclamation followed a series of punitive steps already taken against Harvard, including the freezing of billions in funding, threats to revoke its tax-exempt status, and the launch of several federal investigations.
The proclamation prohibited foreign nationals from entering the U.S. to study at Harvard or participate in exchange visitor programs for an initial period of six months and directed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to consider whether to revoke visas of international students already enrolled at Harvard.
Judge Burroughs, however, found that the administration likely infringed on Harvard’s First Amendment rights under the U.S. Constitution (free speech rights), accusing it of retaliating against the university for refusing to relinquish control over its academic policies and for its perceived liberal stance.
The judge said that “at its root, this case is about core constitutional rights that must be safeguarded: freedom of thought, freedom of expression, and freedom of speech, each of which is a pillar of a functioning democracy and an essential hedge against authoritarianism.”
“Here, the government’s misplaced efforts to control a reputable academic institution and squelch diverse viewpoints seemingly because they are, in some instances, opposed to this Administration’s own views, threaten these rights,” she wrote.
Harvard, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, welcomed the ruling, stating that it would allow the university to continue supporting its international student and academic community while the legal process unfolds. The institution reaffirmed its commitment to defending the rights of its students, scholars, and faculty.
ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE: Trump cancels $100m in remaining federal contracts with Harvard
The White House did not immediately offer a comment.
Harvard has launched two separate lawsuits before Judge Burroughs—an appointee of former Democratic President Barack Obama—seeking to unlock approximately $2.5 billion in frozen funds and to prevent restrictions on international student enrolment.
The second legal challenge came after Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced on 22 May the immediate revocation of Harvard’s certification to host foreign students under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP).
Judge Burroughs swiftly halted the move, and although the Department of Homeland Security has since pursued a more formal administrative process, the judge confirmed on Friday that she would maintain the current arrangements.
A week after that hearing, Trump signed the proclamation, citing concerns over Harvard’s foreign funding—particularly from China—and its purported failure to cooperate with government requests regarding international students.
The Trump administration also alleged that Harvard had failed to protect Jewish students and had allowed antisemitism to flourish, particularly amid growing campus protests linked to the war in Gaza and criticism of Israel’s military campaign.
While rights groups have highlighted increasing levels of both antisemitism and Islamophobia across the U.S., the administration has yet to take formal action regarding anti-Arab or anti-Muslim hate. Reports from Harvard’s own task forces on antisemitism and Islamophobia, published in April, revealed widespread concerns and instances of bigotry on campus.
Nearly 6,800 international students were enrolled at Harvard in the last academic year, accounting for about 27% of its total student body.
and then