America’s oldest and wealthiest institution of higher education, Harvard University, has come out on top, for now. This victory is sweet relief given its unprecedented and still-ongoing legal fight against the Trump administration. A federal judge, Allison Burroughs, issued a ruling that blocks the government’s efforts to prevent Harvard from hosting international students. In response to the administration’s actions, Harvard recently filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. This lawsuit is a sensible test for the legality of these moves to clamp down on foreign student admissions.
The civil war ruptured in full force beginning last April. Under this proclamation, President Donald Trump prohibited foreign students from entering the United States to study at Harvard University. This decision sent shockwaves of dismay and anger throughout the academic world. The university’s own defense—putting international students at the heart of its identity—was a losing one. Without them, they stressed, “Harvard would not be Harvard,” underscoring their fundamental role in the institution’s broader diversity.
Judge Burroughs’ order allows Harvard to keep welcoming foreign students as the case continues through the courts. Her ruling arrived only hours after the university instituted its lawsuit against the federal government. This timing can’t be overstated – it reflects the urgent moment we are in. The court’s decision aims to alleviate the “profound fear, concern, and confusion” that has permeated the Harvard campus as a result of the Trump administration’s actions.
In her order, Judge Burroughs wrote that it is critical to preserve Harvard’s enrollment policies while the legal landscape is still unclear. This ruling stands as part of a wider recognition of the difficulties educational institutions are experiencing with constantly changing immigration regulations.
The latest chapter in the Trump administration’s harassing, months-long campaign against Harvard. They claim the university is too liberal and responsible for failing to address pervasive, anti-Jewish harassment. Harvard has repeatedly and stubbornly turned down these demands, claiming its devotion to academic freedom and diversity of thought.
In this ongoing legal battle, an important element of Harvard’s winning legal strategy was to focus on the personal narratives of students impacted by these policies. One such student, Huang, expressed her frustration over the difficulties posed by current immigration regulations, stating, “Your personal effort and capability means nothing in this era. Why does it have to be so hard to go to school?”
The university’s legal fight clearly goes well beyond policy arguments. Colleges have been facing increasing pressure from the federal government. They are being crushed in their endeavors to maintain their missions under an increasing regulatory morass. Harvard’s Graduate School of Education recently had a very special guest—a new prospective graduate student. This unexpected acceptance renewed her dreams for pursuing her education goals despite the chaos around her.
Harvard University will be looking forward to a more permanent ruling from Judge Burroughs in the coming days. In the meantime, advocates on both sides of this highly contentious issue are poised for whatever comes next. The relief requested in that case would set a great precedent. It’ll determine how other universities across the country engage with international scholars in increasingly nationalistic political climates.
