Harvard is suing the Trump administration after the university’s ability to enrol international students was revoked, describing the move as a clear violation of the law.
The lawsuit, filed today in Boston, aims to block the Department of Homeland Security’s decision to strip Harvard of its certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, which allows foreign students to study in the U.S.
University officials said the action puts at risk more than a quarter of Harvard’s student body, including approximately 6,800 international students. They argued that the government’s decision undermines the institution’s academic mission and global standing.
The Trump administration has claimed Harvard failed to adequately address antisemitism and reform its hiring and admissions practices, accusations the university strongly denies. Harvard maintained the revocation is part of a broader effort by the government to retaliate against institutions that resist federal control over their academic affairs.
The legal action follows previous steps by the administration targeting elite universities for alleged political bias and insufficient response to campus activism.
In April, the White House froze 2.2 billion dollars in federal funding to Harvard and signalled it may revoke the university’s tax-exempt status. Harvard has already filed a separate lawsuit to challenge the funding freeze.
