Harvard sues US government over ban on international student recruitment

On May 23, Harvard University filed a lawsuit against the US government in federal court in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. The lawsuit revolves around the school's recent revocation of its right to recruit international students. Harvard called this move a "serious violation" of the US Constitution and federal laws.

In the lawsuit, Harvard asserted that the decision by the US Department of Homeland Security had caused a "swift and devastating impact" on the school and its nearly 7,000 international students.

Harvard University campus (Photo: CNBC).

"With a single stroke of the pen, the U.S. government has wiped out a quarter of Harvard's student body, while international students play a vital role in the school's mission and operations," the lawsuit states.

Harvard accused this of being an act of "retaliation" because the school objected to government interference in its internal affairs, such as student and faculty management, curriculum development, or how school policies were implemented.

Previously, US Secretary of Homeland Security - Ms. Kristi Noem - ordered to strip Harvard University of its right to recruit international students starting from the 2025-2026 school year.

According to Harvard's latest figures, the university currently has nearly 7,000 international students, accounting for about 27% of the school's total student population.

Harvard said the ban on international admissions would force the school to cancel thousands of applications and disrupt the education of thousands more. Many academic programs, clinics, laboratories, research labs, etc. would also be forced to close. Many students who are close to graduating would also have their studies interrupted.

“Without international students, Harvard would not be Harvard,” the 389-year-old university’s lawsuit states.

This is Harvard's second lawsuit against the US government. In April, Harvard filed a lawsuit against the US government, after billions of dollars in research support and federal funding were cut.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/harvard-kien-chinh-phu-my-vi-lenh-cam-tuyen-sinh-vien-quoc-te-20250523202506885.htm