The Trump admin’s bid to block international students from Harvard halted by judge

A federal judge on Friday temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s bid to block Harvard University from enrolling any international students.

The ruling, which allows Harvard to continue operating as normal while its court case plays out, marks the latest escalation in an ongoing battle over the Trump admin’s concerns about antisemitism, DEI, and ideological capture.

A crash course

The Department of Homeland Security revoked Harvard’s authority to enroll foreign students on Thursday, citing the school’s failure to create a safe environment for students (especially Jewish ones) and alleging that many “anti-American, pro-terrorist agitators” on campus were foreign students. Federal officials also accused Harvard of coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party.

• In response, the university filed a lawsuit challenging the move, with Harvard lawyers accusing the Trump admin of “clear retaliation” for the school’s refusal last month to follow government demands regarding its governance, curriculum, faculty, and student body.

The impact: Harvard enrolls ~6,800 international students—over 25% of its student body—and relies heavily on their tuition payments, which are often full-fee. If the government’s action stands, all current international students must transfer to other schools or leave the country, while Harvard would be unable to accept new international students for at least two years.

Big picture: Since its battle with Harvard began in March, the Trump admin has pulled ~$3 billion in federal research funding for the university (that could be re-routed to trade schools) and threatened to revoke Harvard’s tax exempt status.