Harvard University has filed a legal challenge against the Trump administration’s recent move to bar international students from entering the United States—a decision the university has denounced as an illegal act of political retaliation.
The dispute centers on the administration’s attempt to revoke Harvard’s ability to host students from abroad, a decision the university argues directly contradicts a prior federal court order. In a newly amended complaint, Harvard claims President Donald Trump is undermining judicial authority by sidestepping a ruling that had previously protected its right to admit international students under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP).
Last month, a federal judge in Boston temporarily blocked an earlier action by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), citing potential violations of Harvard’s First Amendment rights. Now, Harvard is urging the same court to intervene once again and stop the administration’s latest policy from taking effect.
If the measure proceeds, it could prevent thousands of international students—many of whom were scheduled to arrive for the summer and fall semesters—from attending classes on the Cambridge, Massachusetts campus. Harvard is home to over 7,000 international students on F-1 and J-1 visas, all of whom, according to the university, are being used as “pawns” in a broader political conflict.
“Harvard’s international student population and their families have become targets in an escalating campaign of retaliation,” the university stated in its court filing.
The Trump administration maintains that the president has legal authority to block the entry of foreign nationals deemed harmful to national interests. However, Harvard argues that this justification does not hold in this case, as the policy appears to target only Harvard-bound students rather than a defined “class of aliens” as required under the law.
Students currently enrolled at Harvard have expressed growing anxiety and frustration. Some are contemplating transferring to other institutions, while others have paused job searches amid concerns about their legal status and long-term plans.
One student told PTI, “For many of us, this feels like our dreams are being shattered.”
The DHS previously withdrew Harvard’s certification under the SEVP, stripping the university of its ability to enroll new international students and putting the status of current enrollees at risk.
As tensions rise, the legal battle underscores the broader implications for the U.S. higher education system and its ability to support global academic exchange. Institutions across the country are watching closely, knowing that the outcome could reshape the future of study abroad programs and the role of international students in American universities.
