Harvard Sues Trump Administration Again Over International Student Ban
Harvard University filed a second federal lawsuit against the Trump administration on Friday, just a day after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) revoked the university’s certification to enroll international students. The lawsuit marks an intensification in the ongoing battle between one of the nation’s top academic institutions and the federal government.
Key Facts
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Boston, accuses the Trump administration of violating the First Amendment, the Due Process Clause, and the Administrative Procedure Act. Harvard described the revocation of its Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification as a retaliatory act aimed at punishing the university for refusing to comply with government demands.
In the court filing, Harvard argues that the move would effectively erase more than a quarter of its student body, warning of “immediate chaos” as final exams, graduation, and summer sessions approach.
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On Thursday, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem issued a letter stating that Harvard could no longer enroll international students and that current international students would have to transfer or face deportation. The letter was also shared on her X (formerly Twitter) account.
This new legal action follows a previous lawsuit Harvard filed against the administration, challenging the freeze of $2.2 billion in federal grant funding, which the university alleges was unlawful and politically motivated.
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Why Did the Administration Target Harvard?
Secretary Noem claims Harvard failed to provide DHS with requested information on “illegal or violent activities” allegedly committed by international students. The administration has given Harvard 72 hours to turn over the data if it wants to reinstate its SEVP certification.
Noem further accused Harvard of fostering a “hostile environment” for Jewish students, promoting pro-Hamas sympathies, and implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies that she claims are racially discriminatory. In a Fox News interview, Noem said the decision should “serve as a warning” to other universities.
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She also accused the university of “coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party” and demanded surveillance evidence, such as video footage of foreign students participating in campus protests, particularly pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
Criticism and International Response
The Chinese Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the U.S. action on Friday, stating:
“China has consistently opposed the politicization of educational collaboration. Moves like this only tarnish the U.S.’s global image and reputation.”
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Lawrence Summers, former Treasury Secretary and Harvard president (2001–2006), called the administration’s move both “vicious” and “illegal,” telling Bloomberg:
“Why does it make any sense at all to stop 6,000 enormously talented young people who want to study in the United States from having that opportunity?”
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Big Number
6,793 — the number of international students enrolled at Harvard for the 2024–2025 academic year. They make up 27.2% of the university’s total student population, according to school data.
Further Reading: Trump Administration Revokes Harvard’s Ability to Enroll International Students
