Harvard University is once again at the center of a high-stakes legal and political standoff with President Donald Trump, who this week issued an executive order barring foreign students from entering the U.S. to attend the university. The proclamation, delivered Wednesday, was met with swift legal action from Harvard and a temporary restraining order from a federal judge just one day later.
In a sharply worded court filing, Harvard accused the Trump administration of engaging in “illegal retaliation” after the university refused to comply with broad federal demands for information on foreign students. Trump’s order cited national security concerns, alleging that Harvard had failed to properly report misconduct by international students and had extensive, troubling ties with foreign governments—particularly China.
U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs, who has previously ruled in similar cases involving Harvard, temporarily blocked the proclamation late Thursday, noting the university faced “immediate and irreparable injury” if the order were enforced before full arguments could be heard.
“Harvard’s more than 7,000 F-1 and J-1 visa holders—and their dependents—have become pawns in the government’s escalating campaign of retaliation,” the university argued in its filing.
Trump’s executive order represents a dramatic escalation in his ongoing campaign to reshape American higher education, targeting elite institutions he and his allies portray as politically biased and insufficiently cooperative with federal authorities. The administration has already sought to revoke Harvard’s certification to host international students and threatened to cut off federal funding.
In a message to the university community, Harvard Provost Alan Garber reaffirmed the university’s commitment to its international students and to academic freedom. “Each of us is part of a truly global university community,” Garber wrote. “We know that the benefits of bringing talented people together from around the world are unique and irreplaceable.”
The executive order, if upheld, could derail the summer and fall plans of thousands of students and scholars, undercutting research and weakening Harvard’s global standing. With international students making up more than a quarter of its student body, Harvard—and institutions like it—face growing uncertainty in the face of politically charged attacks.
While Harvard prepares for a drawn-out court fight, it is also working on contingency plans to ensure students and faculty can continue their academic work remotely or through international partnerships.
For now, the court has paused the administration’s efforts. But the broader question remains: will the nation’s top universities remain insulated from political interference—or become the next battlefield in an ongoing culture war?
