Harvard sues Trump administration over international admissions ban

Many people gathered at Cambridge Common Park in a march calling on Harvard's leadership to oppose the US government 's intervention in the university, April 12 - Photo: REUTERS

According to Reuters, on May 23, Harvard University officially filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration after they decided to revoke the prestigious school's right to enroll international students, forcing thousands of foreign students to transfer schools or face the risk of losing their legal status in the US.

In a complaint filed in Boston federal court, Harvard called the move a "blatant violation" of the US Constitution and other federal laws, with "immediate and serious implications" for the school and its more than 7,000 visa holders.

“With a single stroke of the pen, the government sought to wipe out a quarter of Harvard’s student body — international students who have made enormous contributions to the university and its mission,” Harvard said.

In a letter to the Harvard community, the school's president, Alan Garber, condemned the administration's actions.

“This revocation continues a series of government actions aimed at retaliating against Harvard for our refusal to surrender our academic autonomy and to accept the federal government’s unlawful imposition of control over our curriculum, faculty, and students,” Garber wrote.

The school said the ban forced it to cancel thousands of admissions letters and disrupted "countless" academic programs, clinics, courses and research labs, just days before graduation.

“Without international students, Harvard would no longer be Harvard,” the 389-year-old school asserted.

Harvard currently has nearly 6,800 international students this academic year, accounting for 27% of the total student body, according to school statistics.

The White House and the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.

Regarding the blocking of Harvard from recruiting international students, in a statement, US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem accused Harvard of "inciting violence, anti-Semitism, and collaborating with the Chinese Communist Party".

Earlier in April, the White House decided to freeze $3 billion in aid to Harvard. President Trump also said he was considering stripping the school of its tax exemption.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/harvard-dam-don-kien-chinh-quyen-trump-vi-lenh-cam-tuyen-sinh-quoc-te-20250523203513758.htm