A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order, halting a Trump administration decision that would have revoked Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students. The order effectively prevents the government from pulling Harvard’s certification in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), a crucial designation allowing the institution to host foreign students on U.S. study visas.
The ruling comes swiftly after Harvard University filed a lawsuit in federal court on Friday, challenging the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) move as unlawful and an act of “clear retaliation” for the university exercising its First Amendment rights.
The DHS, under Secretary Kristi Noem, announced on Thursday its decision to immediately terminate Harvard’s SEVP certification, citing the university’s “persistent failure to address a ‘toxic campus climate.’” If the DHS action had proceeded, Harvard would have been barred from enrolling new international students, and currently enrolled foreign students would have faced the prospect of transferring to other SEVP-certified institutions or losing their legal status in the U.S.
RELATED: Harvard Sues Trump Admin, Alleging ‘Retaliation’ Over International Student Ban
In its complaint, Harvard alleged the government’s action was the “latest act by the government in clear retaliation for Harvard exercising its First Amendment rights to reject the government’s demands to control Harvard’s governance, curriculum, and the ‘ideology’ of its faculty and students.”
Secretary Noem defended the department’s stance on Thursday, stating, “It is a privilege, not a right, for universities to enroll foreign students and benefit from their higher tuition payments to help pad their multibillion-dollar endowments. Harvard had plenty of opportunity to do the right thing. It refused. They have lost their Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification as a result of their failure to adhere to the law. Let this serve as a warning to all universities and academic institutions across the country.”
According to DHS, the decision stemmed from Harvard’s alleged refusal to comply with an April 16, 2025, order from Secretary Noem demanding information regarding criminality and misconduct involving foreign students on its campus. A subsequent request from the DHS Office of General Counsel was also reportedly ignored. This action followed a DHS decision last month to cut $2.7 million in grants to the university.
READ: DHS Revokes Harvard’s Ability To Enroll Foreign Students, Cites Alleged CCP Ties
In its justification for the SEVP termination, DHS detailed several areas of concern:
- Pervasive Discrimination and Antisemitism: DHS referenced a joint-government task force finding that Harvard failed to address widespread race discrimination and anti-Semitic harassment. The department highlighted Harvard’s own 2025 internal study, which reportedly found that nearly 60% of Jewish students experienced “discrimination, stereotyping, or negative bias on campus due to [their] views on current events.” DHS also cited incidents where Jewish students were allegedly subjected to insults and physical assault without adequate university response, and noted that pro-Hamas student groups, alleged to promote antisemitism, reportedly remained recognized and funded.
- Skyrocketing Crime Rates: DHS pointed to a reported 55% increase in overall crime rates at Harvard between 2022 and 2023. Within this period, aggravated assaults allegedly rose by 295% and robberies by 560%.
- Ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP): The department accused Harvard of facilitating activity with the CCP. Allegations include hosting and training members of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC), a CCP paramilitary group sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury in 2020. Further accusations involve Harvard researchers collaborating with China-based academics on projects allegedly funded by an Iranian government agent, and partnering with Chinese universities linked to military advancements using U.S. Department of Defense funds.
- Questionable Financial Practices: DHS raised concerns over Harvard receiving $151 million from foreign governments since January 2020 and what it described as “race-conscious hiring policies, potentially in violation of civil rights law.”
READ: Michigan And New York Lawmakers Seek Answers From Harvard Over Chinese Military, Iran Ties
The temporary restraining order provides immediate, though potentially short-lived, relief for Harvard and its international student community.
The legal battle is expected to continue, with its outcome being closely monitored by academic institutions nationwide as a significant indicator of the federal government’s evolving scrutiny of universities’ campus environments and foreign affiliations.
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