Harvard Challenges Trump’s Ban on Foreign Students

In a direct response to the decision made by U.S. President Donald Trump, Harvard University has taken legal action against the administration over its ban on foreign students for the academic year 2025-2026. Harvard filed a lawsuit in federal court on Friday (May 23, 2025), seeking to overturn the president’s ruling. According to a complaint submitted to the federal court in Boston, Harvard described the reversal as a blatant violation of the U.S. Constitution and other federal laws, with immediate and catastrophic effects on the university and more than 7,000 visa holders, according to Reuters. In a statement, Harvard expressed that the government had attempted to erase one-quarter of its student body—international students who significantly contribute to the university and its mission. The university further stated that this was the latest act of retaliation from the government following Harvard’s exercise of rights under the First Amendment, rejecting the government’s demands to control Harvard’s governance, curriculum, and the ideology of its faculty and students. On Thursday, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem ordered the termination of Harvard’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification, effective for the 2025-2026 academic year.