Latest news with #FederalJudge
Bloomberg
a day ago
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Harvard Asks Judge for Fast Ruling in US Funding Freeze Lawsuit
Harvard University lawyers urged a federal judge to rule immediately that the Trump administration's freeze on $2.2 billion in funding is illegal and that it violated the school's free speech and regulatory rights. In a court filing Monday, Harvard argued that the US has not produced any evidence to show that the administration's freeze was a legally justified response to address antisemitism and alleged liberal bias on campus.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Harvard President Takes Serious Swipe At Trump Without Saying His Name At Commencement
Harvard University President Alan Garber took a not-so-subtle jab at President Donald Trump on Thursday as his administration continues to pile on its attacks toward the Ivy League institution. Garber — who has previously ripped the administration's 'perplexing' approach to federal funding cuts — used his welcoming remarks at the university's commencement ceremony to knock Trump without saying his name. 'Members of the Class of 2025 from down the street, across the country and around the world,' said Garber, who was initially met with a minute-long wave of cheers and applause when he graced the stage. He went on to stress, 'Around the world, just as it should be.' His comments — which got a roaring ovation from the thousands of graduates and Harvard community members in attendance — appeared to be a swipe at the administration's push to bar the university from enrolling foreign students, a plan that was blocked by a federal judge. On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs extended an order blocking the move she imposed on the administration at a federal court in Boston last week not from Harvard's campus. Garber's remarks seemingly drew the ire of Deputy White House Press Secretary Harrison Fields who, in a statement to The Daily Beast, reiterated one of the pretexts for the administration's attacks on the Ivy League institution. 'The real threat to higher education comes when places like Harvard let their students' civil rights get trampled in a spineless attempt to coddle pro-Hamas activists,' Fields said. 'President Trump is standing up for every student denied an education or safe campus because left-wing universities fail to protect their civil rights.' He continued, 'Colleges are hooked on federal cash, and Mr. Garber's public outbursts only fuels the push to shut off the taxpayer money propping up their institution.' So far in its fight with Harvard, the White House has frozen billions in federal funding to the university and has reportedly considered canceling all remaining federal contracts with the institution — all while Trump has threatened to revoke its tax-exempt status. The Trump Admin Is Reportedly Embracing The Far-Right, Racist Concept Of Remigration Fox Host Hits Back At Trump Adviser's 'Rogue' Talk With Ice Cold Reality Check Trump's Lawyers Claim Kamala Harris' '60 Minutes' Interview Caused Him 'Mental Anguish'
CNA
5 days ago
- Politics
- CNA
Judge blocks Trump ban on Harvard's international students
BOSTON: A federal judge said on Thursday (May 29) she would extend an order blocking President Donald Trump's administration from immediately revoking Harvard University's ability to enrol international students, a victory for the Ivy League school that is entangled in multiple battles with the administration. US District Judge Allison Burroughs in Boston announced her intention to issue a preliminary injunction, six days after she first granted Harvard a temporary order blocking the Trump administration's move. As the court hearing unfolded on Thursday morning, thousands of Harvard students were receiving their degrees at the school's commencement ceremony on campus about 8km away. University President Alan Garber, who received a standing ovation, welcomed graduating students "from down the street, across the country and around the world" drawing applause for the last words. "Around the world - just as it should be," he added. The Trump administration has launched a multifront attack on the nation's oldest and wealthiest university, freezing billions of dollars in grants and other funding, proposing to end its tax-exempt status and opening an investigation into whether it discriminated against white, Asian, male or straight employees or job applicants. Revoking Harvard's ability to enrol international students would be damaging, the school says. More than a quarter of the student body is international; nearly 60 per cent of the graduate students at the prestigious Harvard Kennedy School hail from other countries. The attack on Harvard is part of the administration's broader effort to pressure higher education institutions to align with its policy agenda. On Wednesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the administration would start "aggressively" revoking visas issued to Chinese students attending US schools, including those with ties to the Chinese Communist Party and those studying in critical fields, which he did not specify. More than 275,000 Chinese students are enrolled in hundreds of US colleges, providing a major source of revenue for the schools and a crucial pipeline of talent for US technology companies. The decision prompted despair and frustration among students who have offers to attend next year. Prior to Rubio's announcement, the offensive against US colleges had largely been confined to Ivy League schools such as Harvard, Columbia and the University of Pennsylvania, which it has accused of left-wing bias and antisemitism. Lynn Pasquerella, president of the advocacy group American Association of Colleges and Universities, said the Trump administration's targeting of international students would have negative consequences for schools and the US. "Chinese students, in particular, now that they're being faced with hyper-scrutiny, are looking elsewhere," she said. "That is a huge loss for us. It's a brain drain." JUDGE SCEPTICAL The court hearing before Burroughs took place shortly after the administration softened its stance in an apparent effort to refute Harvard's legal arguments in advance. Late Wednesday night, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security sent a notice to Harvard saying it would now give the university 30 days to submit evidence contesting the administration's plan to revoke Harvard's right to enrol non-US students. The notice signalled a change in course for DHS, which had said last week that the revocation was effective immediately. In its lawsuit challenging the move, Harvard argued that DHS had violated federal administrative procedure. During the court hearing, US Department of Justice attorney Tiberius Davis argued there was now no need for a court order blocking the administration's actions, since Harvard could challenge them via an administrative process. But Burroughs, an appointee of Democratic former President Barack Obama, said she believed a broad preliminary injunction protecting Harvard and students was necessary while that process played out. She expressed scepticism that Harvard's fate would be any different at its conclusion, saying: "Aren't we still going to end up back here at the same place?" She also questioned whether the administration had fully complied with her temporary restraining order, pointing to a declaration Harvard submitted on Wednesday that said visas for incoming students had been recently revoked. Burroughs said the temporary order would remain in effect while lawyers for both sides negotiate over the terms of the injunction. Harvard has called DHS's action part of an "unprecedented and retaliatory attack on academic freedom". The school is pursuing a separate lawsuit challenging the administration's decision to terminate nearly US$3 billion in federal research funding. Harvard argues the Trump administration is retaliating against it for refusing to accede to its demands to control the school's governance, curriculum and the ideology of its faculty and students. In announcing the initial decision to revoke Harvard's certification, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, without providing evidence, accused the university of "fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party". She accused the school of refusing to comply with wide-ranging requests for information on its student visa holders, including whether they engaged in any activity that was illegal, violent or subjected them to discipline. 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.
CNN
6 days ago
- General
- CNN
State Department reviewing all Harvard-affiliated visa holders, officials say
The US State Department is reviewing all Harvard University-affiliated visa holders, not just students, three senior State Department officials told CNN Wednesday. The move is a notable escalation of the Trump administration's feud with the Ivy League university. The administration previously moved to revoke Harvard's ability to enroll international students, but the attempt has been halted by a federal judge. Harvard argued revocation of its certification in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program was 'clear retaliation' for its refusal of the government's ideologically rooted policy demands. The administration on Tuesday directed federal agencies to cancel all remaining federal contracts with the university – totaling about $100 million in all. The officials did not say why the review – which was first reported by Fox News – was being conducted. CNN reached out to Harvard late Wednesday night for comment on the review. The State Department has previously said that security vetting for visas 'runs from the time of each application, through adjudication of the visa, and afterwards during the validity period of every visa issued.' The recent moves come as the Trump administration takes steps that could deter international students from studying at universities in the US. The State Department announced several other moves this week targeting students who wish to come to the US. On Tuesday, the agency paused all new student and exchange visa appointments as it prepares to expand social media vetting for applicants. It is unclear what the expanded social media vetting will entail. On Wednesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced he would 'aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students.' Rubio said the State Department would work with the Department of Homeland Security on the revocations, which will target Chinese students, 'including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields.' The Trump administration's recent actions have thrown the lives of the university's International students – who make up 27% of Harvard's enrollment – in disarray, including leaving some afraid of attending their own graduation on Thursday, a school official told a court in a recent filing. The latest State Department review threatens to extend that uncertainty to visa holders throughout Harvard's network.
Japan Times
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Japan Times
Trump's moves seen threatening key sources of U.S. 'soft power'
U.S. President Donald Trump's attempt to block Harvard University, with its global reputation for academic excellence, from enrolling international students adds to a growing list of measures that risk severely undercutting American "soft power." A federal judge has placed a temporary hold on the Harvard ban. But the president's move was just part of a wider ideological battle he has waged against dozens of long-established programs designed to promote diversity and cooperation at home and abroad — and to expand U.S. influence in the process.
