Harvard University has sued the U.S. government after officials took away its authority to enroll international students. This event is part of the ongoing dispute between President Donald Trump and the famous university.
In a statement, Harvard President Dr. Alan M. Garber criticized the decision as illegal and unfair. He said the university is suing the government and is going to seek a court order to stop them.
“We condemn this unlawful and unwarranted action. It imperils the futures of thousands of students and scholars across Harvard and serves as a warning to countless others at colleges and universities throughout the country who have come to America to pursue their education and fulfill their dreams,” Mr Garber said.
“We have just filed a complaint, and a motion for a temporary restraining order will follow. As we pursue legal remedies, we will do everything in our power to support our students and scholars. The Harvard International Office will provide periodic updates as new information becomes available,” he added.
The government’s decision to bar Harvard from enrolling international students came just hours ahead of the lawsuit. This decision is tied to a joint federal program called the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), which oversees the enrollment of foreign students taking classes in the U.S. Harvard said there were more than 6,000 international students enrolled at the institution in the 2024–2025 academic year, which made up more than 27% of the students enrolled.
Last month, President Trump warned about a ban similar to this could potentially happen if Harvard didn’t follow newly implemented government rules. The new government rules would regulate how Harvard could operate, and the administration said it could the ban if Harvard complied with the demands within 72 hours.
The government claimed that Harvard didn’t share some information required by the Department of Homeland Security. However, Mr. Garber denied this and said:
“The government has claimed that its destructive action is based on Harvard’s failure to comply with requests for information from the US Department of Homeland Security. In fact, Harvard did respond to the Department’s requests as required by law.”
This is connected to a broader dispute between the Trump administration and universities that includes Harvard. The administration has accused some schools of tolerating anti-Semitic behavior on campus and has warned they would revoke funding, tax benefits, and the ability to enroll international students.
Harvard is no stranger to fighting the government in court. In April, Harvard sued the administration based on the government’s freezing of $2.3 billion in funding. Mr. Garber emphasized the university’s position: The University “will not give up its independence or give up its rights under the Constitution.”
In the suit in federal court in Massachusetts, Harvard claims it has been certified to enroll foreign students under the F-1 visa program for over 70 years. This F-1 visa allows international students to now study in the U.S.
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