A federal court in the United States has blocked an initiative by President Donald Trump’s administration aimed at stripping Harvard University of its ability to admit international students, reports Baltimore Chronicle with reference to The Hill.
The decision to suspend the relevant order from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was issued by U.S. District Court Judge Allison Burroughs. The DHS directive had removed Harvard from the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, effectively barring the university from enrolling new foreign students and jeopardizing the legal status of those already enrolled.
Judge Burroughs initially paused the order and later extended the suspension indefinitely. She also ordered the Trump administration to submit a compliance report to the court within 72 hours.
Last month, the Trump administration halted the scheduling of new visa interviews for international students. However, on June 19, the U.S. State Department announced that it would resume the previously suspended process of issuing student visas. At the same time, a new requirement was introduced: all applicants must provide access to their social media accounts for government review.
On May 26, President Trump stated that Harvard University could lose $3 billion in grant funding, accusing the institution of “antisemitism” and criticizing its approach to foreign students.
Earlier, on May 22, the Trump administration officially suspended Harvard’s right to admit foreign students. This decision was expected to significantly affect both the academic environment and the university’s finances, as approximately 27% of its student body consists of international students.
Earlier we wrote that Harvard challenges Trump ban on international student enrollment.