Harvard sues Trump administration over international student ban

By Praisebell Rosemond Larbi

Harvard University has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration following its decision to revoke the institution’s ability to enroll international students, a move the university describes as illegal and retaliatory.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Boston, accuses the U.S. Department of Homeland Security of violating federal law by blocking Harvard from accessing student visa programs. The administration claims the decision was due to Harvard’s alleged failure to address antisemitism and to reform its hiring and admissions practices allegations the university strongly denies.

In a statement, Harvard President Alan Garber condemned the move as “unlawful and unwarranted,” arguing that it is part of a broader campaign by the federal government to undermine Harvard’s academic independence.

“The revocation continues a series of government actions to retaliate against Harvard for our refusal to surrender our academic independence and to submit to the federal government’s illegal assertion of control over our curriculum, our faculty, and our student body,” Garber stated.

He added that the university would also be applying for a temporary restraining order to halt the implementation of the ban while legal proceedings continue. The decision threatens the academic future of thousands of international students who rely on the university’s visa sponsorship to study in the United States. Critics have raised concerns that the administration’s actions may set a dangerous precedent by politicizing access to higher education and undermining U.S. global academic leadership.