Judge Blocks Trump Administration’s Plan to Stop Harvard From Enrolling Foreign Students

A judge has stopped the Trump administration from blocking Harvard from enrolling foreign students. This is only a temporary order, but it gives Harvard time to fight back.

Harvard had sued the government. The school said the ban on international students breaks the law and hurts free speech.

The Trump administration said Harvard has not done enough to stop antisemitism. They also accused the school of unfair hiring and student selection. Harvard strongly denied this.

Judge Allison Burroughs gave the order on Friday. She stopped a move made by the Department of Homeland Security the day before. That move would have taken away Harvard’s access to a system that tracks foreign students.

Harvard said the ban could remove one-fourth of its students. These international students are an important part of the school.

Harvard’s president, Alan Garber, said the government was trying to punish the school. He said Harvard will not give up its freedom to choose what it teaches or who it hires.

A White House speaker, Abigail Jackson, fired back. She said Harvard should focus on safety and stop what she called "pro-terrorist" voices on campus. After the judge’s order, she said the judge had a “liberal agenda” and had no right to stop the president’s team from making immigration decisions.

Many foreign students at Harvard feel scared and stuck. The school has about 6,800 international students. That’s more than 27% of all students.

Many students come from China, Canada, India, South Korea, and the UK. One of them is Princess Elisabeth, the future queen of Belgium.

Leo Ackerman is one of those students. He was excited to study at Harvard. He wanted to learn about teaching and help kids enjoy school. Now, he’s worried that dream may end.

He still hopes Harvard’s legal fight will work.

Foreign students help Harvard’s budget. They often pay full tuition, which helps fund aid for US students. A year at Harvard can cost over $100,000.

The Trump administration has attacked Harvard and other top schools. They say the schools allow hate speech and silence conservative views. They’ve launched probes into many colleges. Columbia University made some changes under pressure.

Trump also froze $2.2 billion in federal funds to Harvard. He even said he might take away its tax-free status.

Harvard has fought back. It has hired well-known lawyers, including some with ties to Trump.

Some students worry they may be forced to leave. If Harvard is removed from the government’s student system, they could lose their visas.

Kat Xie, a science student from China, said the news was a shock. She had hoped the earlier threat was over.

British students also fear being sent home. One said she had worked hard to get into Harvard. She admitted there are issues with free speech but said things are getting better. Still, she was shocked by the government’s move.

She added, “It feels like we’re just pawns in a bigger game.”