Judge issues injunction over Trump plan to limit Harvard enrolments

Australia Broadcast Center

2 days ago

A US judge has issued an injunction blocking the Trump administration from revoking Harvard University's ability to enrol international students.
The ruling is the latest twist in the US president's pressure campaign against Harvard, which has included him ordering the withdrawal of billions of US dollars in federal funding.
The temporary injunction came as lawyers for the federal government backed away from plans to immediately revoke the Ivy League university's ability to enrol international students for at least a month.
Instead, the administration will give the college 30 days to contest its plans through a lengthier administrative process.
The US Department of Homeland Security sent Harvard a notice of intent on Wednesday to withdraw the school's certification under a federal program to enrol non-US students.
Citing the potential for Harvard and its students to be harmed if the administration reverted to its earlier plans, US District Judge Allison Burroughs at that hearing said she planned to issue a broad preliminary injunction preserving the status quo while the newly announced administrative process plays out.
Harvard's lawyers have argued that the revocation violated its free speech and due process rights under the US Constitution.
In addition, Harvard contended that the revocation failed to comply with Department of Homeland Security regulations.
The regulations required providing at least 30 days to challenge the agency's allegations and giving Harvard an opportunity to pursue an administrative appeal.
Harvard has said losing the right to enrol international students would affect about one quarter of its student body and devastate the school.
It has denied Trump administration charges of alleged bias against conservatives, fostering antisemitism on campus and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party.
The Homeland Security Department said it sent Harvard the notice after school officials indicated an intent to comply with requirements of the federal Student and Exchange Visitor Program, which allows Harvard to enrol non-U.S. students.
"We continue to reject Harvard's repeated pattern of endangering its students and spreading American hate — it must change its ways to be eligible to receive generous benefits from the American people," Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement.
The university, the nation's oldest and wealthiest, enrolled nearly 6,800 international students in its current school year, about 27 per cent of its total enrolment.
The department's move would prevent Harvard from enrolling new international students and require existing ones to transfer to other schools or lose their legal status.