A federal judge has temporarily halted President Donald Trump’s proclamation suspending new international student visas at Harvard, hours after the university filed an amended lawsuit challenging the move.
US District Judge Allison Burroughs issued the restraining order Thursday night, citing the risk of “immediate and irreparable injury” to the university. A hearing is set for mid-June.
Admission to the United States to study at an “elite” American university is a privilege, not a right. This Department of Justice will vigorously defend the President’s proclamation suspending the entry of new foreign students at Harvard University based on national security…
— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) June 5, 2025
The proclamation, signed Wednesday, aimed to bar new F, M, and J visa holders from entering Harvard, citing national security concerns and accusing the university of promoting antisemitism and illegal diversity policies. The State Department, per a cable signed by Secretary Marco Rubio, ordered embassies to begin denying visas as of Friday.
Harvard’s lawsuit argues the move violates the First Amendment and undermines academic freedom, calling it part of a retaliatory campaign by the administration.
President Alan Garber vowed to defend international students, saying Harvard “without its international students, is not Harvard.”
