University sues Trump administration regarding attempt to prohibit international students and scholars

On Friday morning, Harvard filed a request with a federal judge to prevent a Trump administration directive that would revoke the University’s authority to enroll international students and sponsor international scholars. The directive is “an egregious breach of the First Amendment, the Due Process Clause, and the Administrative Procedure Act,” the complaint asserted.

President Alan Garber labeled the government’s actions as illegal and retaliatory.

The complaint, along with the petition for a temporary restraining order, arose from the Trump administration’s recent escalation in its conflict with the University. In a letter dispatched on Thursday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem declared that the University’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification had been revoked immediately, claiming this was due to Harvard’s insufficient compliance with an April 16 government inquiry regarding records linked to international students. The letter and the corresponding press release also mentioned grievances against the University unrelated to Harvard’s SEVP participation, applicable regulations, or its international students.

In a communication sent to the community on Friday morning, Garber maintained that the University had fully complied with the request as required by law. He criticized the Noem directive and pledged to contest it.

“The revocation is part of a series of government measures aimed at retaliating against Harvard for our refusal to relinquish our academic autonomy and submit to the federal government’s unlawful claim of control over our curriculum, our faculty, and our student community,” he stated.

“We denounce this illegal and unfounded action. It jeopardizes the futures of thousands of students and scholars across Harvard and serves as a cautionary tale for many others at colleges and universities nationwide who have come to America to pursue their education and fulfill their aspirations.”

International students at Harvard come from over 140 nations and constitute around a quarter of its student population. In her letter, Noem indicated that the certificate revocation implies Harvard cannot host nonimmigrant international students or scholars on F- or J-visas for the 2025-26 academic year. This means current students under those visa categories must transfer to other institutions to maintain their visa status, she wrote.

The directive left researchers, fellows, and students unsettled and enraged — and anxious about the implications for both the country and the University. Among them was Eduardo Vasconcelos, a senior from Brazil whose family arrived in Boston for Commencement week just hours before the Trump administration released its order.

“It was challenging to hold back my tears” upon learning of the Noem letter, Vasconcelos remarked. “The directive from the administration felt like a dismissal of the four years I have invested at Harvard and an assault on the extensive efforts that international students and scholars commit to generating knowledge pertinent to both the United States and the global community.”

Should the directive take effect, said Vasconcelos, an honors concentrator in government and economics, the nation would experience an “immense” loss of “vitality, intellectual diversity, and the chance to contribute positively to the world.”

He added: “The federal administration is undermining the ability of America’s oldest educational institution to serve as a staircase accessible to all. This dreadful decision restricts our institution’s capacity to tackle pressing global challenges, which inherently requires identifying talents and voices from across the globe and welcoming them to Harvard.”

Scott Delaney, an epidemiologist at the Harvard Chan School whose research has unveiled insights into the connections between air pollution and dementia, stated that the action taken by the Trump administration jeopardizes what should be a source of national pride.

“The United States leads in health science research because the finest researchers from around the globe come here as students, and then they remain and develop their careers,” he commented.

“I personally collaborate with students and postdocs from at least five different nations on research aimed at enhancing the lives of Americans affected by Alzheimer’s disease. If we expel them simply because of where they were born — as the Trump administration is attempting to do — then my team will inevitably produce less impactful research, and the United States will miss out on their insights and contributions. All of these exceptional researchers will simply seek opportunities elsewhere.”

Garber concluded his message to the community by directly addressing international students and scholars: “You are our classmates and friends, our colleagues and mentors, our partners in the endeavors of this esteemed institution. Thanks to you, we learn more and comprehend more, and our country and our world are more enlightened and more resilient. We will stand by you as we do everything possible to ensure that Harvard stays open to the globe.”