Federal Judge Halts Trump Administration’s Bid to Block International Students at Harvard

A U.S. federal judge in Boston has temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to prevent Harvard University from enrolling international students, a decision that came swiftly after the university filed a lawsuit challenging the policy. The ruling, issued on Friday, May 23, 2025, offers immediate relief to thousands of foreign students facing potential disruption to their education.

U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs granted a temporary restraining order, stating that Harvard had demonstrated a likelihood of “immediate and irreparable injury” if the ban were enforced before all parties could be heard. The lawsuit, filed earlier that day in the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts, stemmed from the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) decision on Thursday to revoke Harvard’s certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). This program allows the university to issue I-20 forms, essential for international students to obtain F-1 visas for study in the United States.
The Trump administration’s move would have barred Harvard from admitting new international students and required currently enrolled foreign students to transfer to other SEVP-approved institutions or risk losing their legal status in the U.S. International students constitute 27.2% of Harvard’s student body, with approximately 6,800 enrolled across its programs, including 1,203 from China and 788 from India.

Harvard’s legal action argued that the DHS decision was a “blatant violation” of constitutional rights, including First Amendment protections, and other federal laws. The university’s president, Alan Garber, condemned the policy as unlawful and emphasized Harvard’s commitment to supporting its international students during the ongoing legal battle.

The temporary injunction ensures that Harvard can continue enrolling international students while the case proceeds. A hearing is scheduled for May 27, 2025, to further address the issue. The Associated Press reported that the impact could have been particularly severe for Harvard’s graduate schools, such as the Harvard Kennedy School, where nearly half the students are international, and the Harvard Business School, where about one-third of the student body comes from abroad.