A Federal Judge Delivers a Blow to the Trump Administration
In a significant development, a federal judge has extended a temporary order blocking the Trump administration from revoking Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students. This decision is seen as a preliminary victory for the prestigious university in its battle against the administration.
Judge Allison Burroughs of the Boston district court issued the preliminary injunction, prolonging the temporary order she had initiated six days prior. This move prevents the Trump administration from immediately stripping Harvard of its rights to accept foreign students. The Department of Homeland Security had earlier notified Harvard that it would be given a 30-day extension to respond to the plans to revoke its student visa sponsorship, contradicting its previous stance that the revocation would take effect immediately.
During the hearing, Justice Department lawyers argued that a court order was no longer necessary, as Harvard could contest the decision through administrative channels. However, Judge Burroughs expressed skepticism, suggesting that even if the process were to proceed, the outcome might still revert to the original decision. She also questioned whether the administration was genuinely complying with the temporary order, given evidence from Harvard that some new students’ visas had already been revoked.
The temporary order will remain in effect as both parties continue to negotiate the terms of a permanent injunction. This development comes at a time when the Trump administration has launched several attacks on Harvard, including freezing billions of dollars in research funding, proposing to revoke the university’s tax-exempt status, and investigating alleged discrimination based on sex, race, or sexual orientation.
One of the most significant blows was the plan to revoke Harvard’s ability to enroll international students, which the university claims would cause severe harm. Foreign students make up about one-fourth of Harvard’s student body, and nearly 60% of master’s students at Harvard Kennedy School are from abroad. The university has labeled this move as an unprecedented “policy retaliation” that severely infringes upon academic freedom.
The day before the court’s ruling, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the administration would begin aggressively revoking visas for Chinese students in the US, particularly those with ties to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in strategically important fields, although no specific fields were mentioned.
Currently, over 275,000 Chinese students are enrolled in US universities, providing a vital source of income for these institutions and contributing significantly to the American tech industry. Experts warn that restricting international students will have long-term negative consequences and is driving a brain drain to more welcoming countries, with Chinese students already looking elsewhere. This could result in a substantial loss for the US.
SOURCE: channelnewsasia