US Judge extended an order blocking the Trump ban on Harvard for enrolling foreign students
US District Judge Allison Burroughs extended an order blocking the Trump administration from barring Harvard University from enrolling foreign students. It had already been paused last since last week when the judge had issued a temporary restraining order.
After the Department of Homeland Security's Secretary Kristi Noem sent a letter to Harvard to comply with the administration's requirements, or it would revoke its ability to enrol foreign students, Harvard sued the DHS.
Subsequently, on Thursday, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement director, Todd Lyons sent a letter to Harvard stating that the school has been given 30 days by the government to respond to the alleged grounds for withdrawal, including accusations that they had been fostering antisemitism and violence on campus and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party.
In its lawsuit, Harvard accused the DHS of failing to follow administrative procedures, and missing to give the school a 30-day window to respond.
The university's director of immigration services, Maureen Martin, said that the Trump administration's efforts to stop Harvard from enrolling foreign students have created an atmosphere of “profound fear, concern, and confusion", in a court filing. Martin also said that domestic students had already shown an interest in transferring or deferring because they believed their experience would not be the same without an international student body, and many international students had asked about transferring.
Among these students is Cleo Carney, daughter of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who has just finished her first year at Harvard. She's an undergraduate student at the resource efficiency program.
Another high-profile student caught between the crosshairs is Princess Elisabeth of Belgium. She is the heir to the Belgian throne and has just completed her first year in a two-year master's program in public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School.
Trump slammed Harvard on social media last week after Burroughs temporarily halted the action saying, “the best thing Harvard has going for it is that they have shopped around and found the absolute best Judge (for them!) - But have no fear, the Government will, in the end, WIN!”
Currently, the Trump administration is demanding changes to Harvard's governance, to bring it on par with the president's vision, amid allegations of being a hotbed of liberalism and failing to protect Jewish students from harassment. However, Harvard has rejected the demands and continues to fight against the administration's political demands for its autonomy.
