Harvard University sues US government for blocking international students from entering the country

The move further escalates tensions between America's oldest university and the US government .

In a lawsuit filed in federal court, Harvard asked a judge to block the executive order signed by the US President on June 4 (US time). This executive order makes it impossible for foreign students and researchers who want to study and work at Harvard to enter the US.

Harvard University campus (Photo: Straits Times).

Harvard has previously filed two lawsuits against the US government for freezing federal funding to the school and stripping the school of its right to recruit international students.

The US President said that Harvard's refusal to provide records related to the misconduct of some international students studying at the school posed a risk to US national security. He also said that Harvard did not handle the issue of ensuring security and safety for all students on campus well, allowing protests to take place uncontrollably.

In addition, the newly signed decree also mentions the possibility that some Harvard researchers leaked important US research results abroad.

The new order not only suspends the entry of international students and scholars for six months, but also requires US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to consider revoking the visas of foreigners studying or working at Harvard, except for those determined to contribute to serving the US national interest.

Harvard’s lawyers now allege that the US President’s actions are part of a “systematic campaign of retaliation” aimed at punishing Harvard for defending academic freedom and free speech. The school has previously refused to comply with US government requests to intervene in its internal management, curriculum, and the ideas of its faculty and students.

The US President also threatened to cut Harvard's tax exemption and wanted the school to reduce its foreign student enrollment limit to 15% of the total student population.

Although a federal judge has temporarily suspended Harvard's ban on recruiting international students, tensions surrounding the issue continue to escalate.

Harvard said it has been cooperating with the authorities and has provided all required information, including data on international students, and the school has called the new order a “circumvention” aimed at invalidating a previous court-ordered suspension.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/dai-hoc-harvard-kien-chinh-phu-my-vi-ngan-sinh-vien-quoc-te-nhap-canh-20250606073625948.htm