Federal Judge Halts Trump Move to Suspend Visas for Foreign Students at Harvard, Sparks Constitutional Showdown
A federal judge appointed by Barack Obama has blocked President Trump from suspending student visas for foreign nationals attending Harvard University, igniting another high-stakes legal battle between the executive branch and the federal judiciary.
On Thursday, President Trump issued a proclamation suspending the issuance of new academic visas for foreign nationals enrolling at Harvard for six months, with the option to extend the ban. The proclamation also directed the State Department to consider revoking current student visas of foreign nationals already studying at the elite university.
But within hours, Judge Allison Burroughs, a U.S. District Court judge in Boston, responded with a temporary restraining order—blocking the order from taking effect pending further litigation.
Harvard Pushes Back
Harvard immediately filed suit, claiming Trump’s order was arbitrary and violated federal law. In the court filing, the university argued that the administration failed to prove that restricting access to one specific university—while allowing foreign students to study elsewhere in the U.S.—served any legitimate national interest.
“The Proclamation does not deem the entry of an alien or class of aliens to be detrimental to the interests of the United States,” Harvard’s legal team wrote. “Because noncitizens can still enter the United States—just not to attend Harvard—it cannot stand.”
Judge Burroughs agreed, writing that the suspension of visas would cause “immediate and irreparable injury” to international students and Harvard itself. She sided with the university’s argument that the policy lacked adequate national security justification.
Part of a Larger Effort
The order was part of a broader immigration reform effort led by DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, who recently moved to terminate Harvard’s international student program, citing national security concerns and the need to prioritize American students and institutions.
Just days before Thursday’s ruling, DHS backed off its aggressive stance, opting to pursue Harvard’s certification through a lengthier administrative process. Despite that concession, Judge Burroughs made clear her intent to issue a longer-term preliminary injunction, signaling that the court will likely side with Harvard in ongoing proceedings.
Political and Legal Tensions Mount
This ruling marks the second time in recent weeks that Burroughs has blocked the Trump administration’s attempts to rein in foreign enrollment at Harvard—where international students comprise over 25% of the student body. It also raises fresh questions about the power of unelected judges to undermine executive immigration powers, especially when national security is invoked.
Critics argue that the ruling once again showcases judicial overreach, with one legal analyst calling it “another black-robed blockade” to President Trump’s constitutional authority.
As the legal fight escalates, Trump’s administration appears poised to continue challenging elite institutions and what it sees as loopholes in academic immigration policy—policies the president has argued disproportionately benefit global elites at the expense of American workers.
With Harvard’s international program temporarily shielded by the court, all eyes now turn to the upcoming hearings where the fate of Trump’s proclamation—and the future of foreign student access to U.S. universities—will be decided.
