Harvard University has taken legal action against the US government after its certification to enroll international students was abruptly revoked. The decision, announced under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), affects thousands of students and has intensified tensions between the Trump administration and the academic institution.
In a statement, Harvard President Dr Alan M Garber criticized the move, saying, “We condemn this unlawful and unwarranted action. It imperils the futures of thousands of students and scholars across Harvard and serves as a warning to countless others at colleges and universities throughout the country who have come to America to pursue their education and fulfill their dreams.”
This administration is holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus.
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) May 22, 2025
It is a privilege, not a right, for universities to enroll foreign students and benefit from their higher tuition payments… pic.twitter.com/12hJWd1J86
Garber added that the university had filed a legal complaint and would soon seek a temporary restraining order. “We have just filed a complaint, and a motion for a temporary restraining order will follow. As we pursue legal remedies, we will do everything in our power to support our students and scholars,” he said.
The university asserts that the revocation is retaliatory, linked to its resistance to political pressure over governance and curriculum. “With the stroke of a pen, the government has sought to erase a quarter of Harvard’s student body,” the university said.
The lawsuit, filed in Massachusetts, claims violations of the First Amendment, Due Process, and the Administrative Procedure Act.
