Harvard University has challenged the Trump administration’s decision to bar the Ivy League school from enrolling foreign students, calling it unconstitutional retaliation for defying the White House’s political demands.
In a lawsuit filed in federal court in Boston, Harvard said that the government’s action violates the First Amendment and will have an “immediate and devastating effect for Harvard and more than 7,000 visa holders.”
“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.”
Harvard
The school said that it plans to file for a temporary restraining order to block the Department of Homeland Security from carrying out the move.
The suit is separate from the university’s earlier one challenging more than $2 billion in federal cuts imposed by the Republican administration.
The Department of Homeland Security revoked Harvard’s ability to enroll foreign students, accusing Harvard of creating an unsafe campus environment by allowing “anti-American, pro-terrorist agitators” to assault Jewish students on campus.
It also accused Harvard of coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party, contending the school had hosted and trained members of a Chinese paramilitary group as recently as 2024.
Harvard President, Alan Garber earlier this month said the university has made changes to its governance over the past year and a half, including a broad strategy to combat anti-Semitism.
He said that Harvard would not budge on its “its core, legally-protected principles” over fears of retaliation. Harvard has said it will respond at a later time to allegations first raised by House Republicans about coordination with the Chinese Communist Party.
The threat to Harvard’s international enrollment stems from an April 16 request from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who demanded that Harvard provide information about foreign students that might implicate them in violence or protests that could lead to their deportation.
Noem said that Harvard can regain its ability to host foreign students if it produces a trove of records on foreign students within 72 hours.
Her updated request demands all records, including audio or video footage, of foreign students participating in protests or dangerous activity on campus.
China Slams Decision To Bar Harvard From Enrolling International Students
Meanwhile, the Chinese government said that the Trump administration’s move to ban international students from Harvard would harm America’s international standing.
Among the two largest parts of the international student community in Harvard are Chinese and Indian students.
The university enrolled 6,703 international students across all of its schools in 2024, according to the school’s data, with 1,203 of those from China and 788 from India.
Chinese State broadcaster CCTV questioned whether the U.S. would remain a top destination for foreign students, noting Harvard was already suing the U.S. government in court. “But with the long litigation period, thousands of international students may have trouble waiting,” the CCTV commentary said.
It went on to say that it becomes necessary for international students to consider other options “when policy uncertainty becomes the norm.”
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a daily briefing in Beijing that educational cooperation with the US is mutually beneficial and China opposes its politicization. “The relevant actions by the U.S. side will only damage its own image and international credibility,” she said.
She added that China would firmly protect the rights and interests of Chinese students and scholars abroad but she didn’t offer any details on how it would do so in this situation.
Indian authorities say they currently assessing the impact of the US order on Indian students who are already enrolled with Harvard, as well as those aspiring to study there in future, but have not issued any statements of criticism.
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