Judge Blocks U.S. Move to Bar Foreign Student Enrolment at Harvard

Judge Blocks U.S. Move to Bar Foreign Student Enrolment at Harvard

By Aaron Joyce | LTT Media | May 23 - 2025

Washington D.C. — A federal judge has temporarily blocked a controversial attempt by the Trump administration to strip Harvard University of its ability to enroll international students — a move that would have threatened the legal status of thousands of students and marked a seismic shift in U.S. immigration policy targeting higher education.

U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs granted a temporary restraining order on Thursday, following an emergency motion filed by Harvard earlier this week. The university argued that the Department of Homeland Security's actions were unconstitutional, retaliatory, and posed an immediate threat to its academic operations.

At the heart of the case is a decision by federal officials to revoke Harvard’s certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), citing what they claimed were “security concerns” and alleged links between some academic programs and “foreign influence.” Critics have dismissed the claims as politically motivated and unsubstantiated.

Harvard, one of the world’s leading research institutions, maintains that over 25% of its student population is composed of international students. University President Claudine Gay called the government’s action “a direct assault on academic freedom, institutional autonomy, and the foundational principles of global education.”

Judge Burroughs sided with the university in the preliminary ruling, stating that the administration’s move “raises serious constitutional questions” and “warrants immediate judicial scrutiny.” The decision means that, for now, Harvard can continue to enroll and support international students while the legal case plays out.

The Department of Homeland Security has yet to comment on the ruling but is expected to challenge the decision in upcoming hearings.

This case could have far-reaching implications across the U.S. university system, as academic leaders brace for what they view as an intensifying campaign by the Trump administration to reshape the landscape of American higher education — particularly as it relates to international talent and influence.

A full hearing on the matter is scheduled for May 29.