Court Blocks Trump’s New Ban on Foreign Students at Harvard

NEW YORK, 6 June 2025 (BSS/AFP) – A United States federal court on Thursday imposed a temporary stay on President Donald Trump’s latest executive action aiming to block foreign students from enrolling at Harvard University. This decision marks a significant moment in the ongoing conflict between the Trump administration and one of the world’s most prestigious academic institutions.

Background: Trump’s Proclamation

On Wednesday evening, the White House issued a proclamation seeking to:

• Bar the majority of new international students from entering the United States to study at Harvard.
• Threaten current foreign students with potential visa cancellations.

The proclamation stated:

“Harvard’s conduct has rendered it an unsuitable destination for foreign students and researchers.”

Harvard’s Legal Response

Harvard promptly amended an existing legal complaint in federal court, responding with strong language:

“This is not the Administration’s first attempt to sever Harvard from its international students.

It is part of a concerted and escalating campaign of retaliation by the government in clear retribution for Harvard’s exercising its First Amendment rights — specifically its refusal to comply with government demands concerning its governance, curriculum, and the ideological stance of its faculty and students.”

Judicial Ruling

US District Judge Allison Burroughs, who presided over the case, ruled on Thursday that the Trump administration cannot enforce the presidential proclamation. In her opinion, Harvard had successfully demonstrated that, without a temporary restraining order, it faced:

• “Immediate and irreparable injury”
• A lack of fair opportunity for all parties to be heard before enforcement

Judge Burroughs had previously blocked a similar Trump initiative targeting international student enrolment at Harvard.

Government Retaliation and Funding Cuts

The Trump administration has already taken significant punitive measures against Harvard, including:

The administration’s actions are widely viewed as retaliatory. Harvard has resisted government oversight into its:

• Academic curriculum
• Staffing policies
• Student recruitment
• Commitment to “viewpoint diversity”

Focus on International Students

Trump has particularly targeted foreign students, who represent a substantial portion of Harvard’s academic community and financial stability.

In its legal filing, Harvard acknowledged that the President does hold authority under immigration law to block entry to entire classes of non-citizens if justified in the public interest. However, the university countered:

“The President’s actions are not undertaken to protect the interests of the United States but instead to pursue a government vendetta against Harvard.”

Larger Campaign Against Elite Universities

Since returning to office, President Trump has intensified his campaign against elite American universities, frequently accusing them of:

• Promoting liberal bias
• Harbouring anti-Semitism
• Embracing ‘woke’ ideology

On Wednesday, Trump’s Secretary of Education threatened to strip Columbia University of its accreditation, claiming the Ivy League institution failed to address alleged harassment of Jewish students — a move that puts all its federal funding at risk.

Unlike Harvard, some top institutions, including Columbia, have reportedly complied with sweeping demands issued by the Trump administration.