Harvard said the government’s action violates the First Amendment and will have an “immediate and devastating effect for Harvard and more than 7,000 visa holders.”
In what comes as a significant development, a federal judge in the US has blocked the Trump administration’s decision to revoke Harvard University’s ability to enrol international students. The temporary restraining order stops the government from pulling Harvard’s certification in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, which allows the school to host international students with visas to study in the US.
Earlier, Harvard filed the lawsuit in the US District Court in Massachusetts on Friday. Harvard said the government’s action violates the First Amendment and will have an “immediate and devastating effect for Harvard 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 said in its suit.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a letter to Harvard that the revocation of Harvard’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification means that Harvard is prohibited from having persons on F or J non-immigrant visa status for the 2025-26 academic school year.
“This decertification also means that existing aliens on F or J non-immigrant status must transfer to another university in order to maintain the non-immigrant status,” she said.
The F-1 Visa (Academic Student) allows individuals to enter the United States as a full-time student at an accredited college, university, academic high school or other academic institution.
J visas are non-immigrant visas for individuals approved to participate in exchange visitor programmes in the United States.
According to statistics on the website of Harvard International Office, there are 788 students and scholars from India at all schools under Harvard University for the 2024-25 academic year.
The Harvard Global Support Services said on its website that each year, anywhere from 500-800 Indian students and scholars study at Harvard.
Harvard hosts a total of about 10,158 students and scholars from around the world across its schools, according to Harvard International Office estimates.
(With inputs from AP)
