Gladness Gideon
Harvard University has filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration after U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem revoked the university’s ability to enroll foreign students, a move that threatens the academic future of thousands and risks billions in funding.
Filed on Friday in a Massachusetts federal court, the lawsuit accuses the administration of acting in “clear retaliation” after the Ivy League institution declined to submit to oversight of its admissions, hiring practices, and academic governance, which President Donald Trump has criticized as promoting “anti-Semitism” and “woke” ideology.
The Department of Homeland Security’s action follows weeks of escalating tension between the White House and Harvard. The administration has already frozen $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in federal contracts, with $9 billion more under review. A Harvard Medical School researcher has also reportedly been targeted for deportation.
In a statement Friday, Harvard President Alan Garber condemned the move as “unlawful and unwarranted,” warning it jeopardizes the futures of international students and undermines American higher education.
“This administration’s action imperils the futures of thousands of students and scholars across Harvard and serves as a warning to countless others… who have come to America to pursue their education and fulfill their dreams,” Garber said, noting that Harvard has filed for a temporary restraining order.
Foreign nationals make up over a quarter of Harvard’s student population, and losing them could result in significant financial and academic setbacks. Chinese nationals alone account for over 20% of international enrollees, prompting China’s foreign ministry to respond critically on Friday.
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“The Chinese side has consistently opposed the politicization of educational cooperation,” said spokeswoman Mao Ning, calling the U.S. decision harmful to its global image.
Homeland Security Secretary Noem defended the move, stating the administration “is holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party.”
Harvard faculty members and students have expressed dismay. The university’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors described the decision as “the latest in a string of nakedly authoritarian and retaliatory moves.”
Austrian student Karl Molden, 21, said he is already seeking a transfer to Oxford University in the UK due to fear over the administration’s actions. “It’s scary and saddening,” he told AFP. “Being admitted to Harvard was the greatest privilege of my life.”
This lawsuit is the latest in a series of legal and political clashes between elite academic institutions and the Trump administration, with broader implications for academic freedom and international education in the United States.