Harvard sues Trump administration over its ban on enrolment of foreign students
Federal suit calls move ‘blatant violation’ of constitutional rights with ‘devastating effect’ on university and over 7,000 visa holders
Harvard sued US President Donald Trump’s administration on Friday over its move to revoke the university’s ability to enrol foreign students, about a fifth of whom hail from China.
In a complaint filed in federal court in Boston, Harvard called the move a “blatant violation” of the US Constitution’s First Amendment and due process clause, noting that it had an “immediate and devastating effect” on the university and more than 7,000 visa holders.
“With the stroke of a pen, the government has sought to erase a quarter of Harvard’s student body, international students who contribute significantly to the university and its mission,” Harvard added.
“It is 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,” the complaint continued.
Hours later, a federal judge issued the restraining order, temporarily blocking the policy from going into effect.