Judge temporarily delays Trump's partial prohibition on foreign students attending Harvard.
By DANNY SOLOMON ZHANG WEN WASHINGY MASS. (AP) - A federal judge has given the slip to President Donald Trump's latest try to keep foreign students from enrolling at Harvard University.
Trump's move was the most recent play by the GOP administration to thwart America's founding institution of higher education from taking in more than a fourth of its students. These students contribute significantly to the institution's research and scholarship.
It's the second time this month that Harvard University has been dragged into a legal quagmire, leaving its international students' life plans in shambles. Alan Wang, a 22-year-old Chinese national set to join a Harvard graduate program this August, has been riding an emotional rollercoaster.
"I can't plan my future when everything keeps going back and forth. Just give me some certainty: Can I enroll or not?" Wang said.
Born and raised in China, Wang attended high school and college in the U.S. Currently, he's chilling in China for the summer before exploratory trips to countries with friendlier immigration policies, like Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, have entered the picture.
More on Trump vs. Harvard Standoff
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- Trump Looks to Bar U.S. Entry for Foreign Students Planning to Study at Harvard University
- Trump's Claims About Remedial Math at Harvard Don't Add Up
- Harvard Holds Commencement Amid Pressure from the Trump Administration
Adverts?? Adverts?? Adverts?? Harvard challenged Trump's order on June 4, asking the court to block the president's measure and declaring it unlawful retaliation against Harvard. The university argued that the president was trying to pull an end run around a previous court ruling.
A few hours later, U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs in Boston slapped a temporary restraining order on Trump's proclamation. According to Burroughs, Harvard demonstrated it would suffer "immediate and irreversible harm" before there would be an opportunity to listen to both sides' arguments in the lawsuit. Burroughs also extended an earlier hold she had placed on the administration's attempt to end Harvard's recruitment of international students. The Department of Homeland Security had revoked Harvard's certification to host foreign students and issue visa-related paperwork only to see Burroughs nix the action. This time, Trump invoked a different legal authority.
Court proceedings are scheduled for June 16 to decide whether the judge will continue the suspension of Trump's proclamation.
In the event that Trump's measure survived the legal wrangle, it would keep out thousands of students originally slated to attend Harvard's campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, for the summer and fall terms. It would also urge the State Department to revoke visas for students already in the U.S.
"Harvard's more than 7,000 F-1 and J-1 visa holders - and their dependents - have become pawns in the government's escalating campaign of retaliation," Harvard claimed in its June 4 court filing.
While the lawsuit drags on, Harvard is preparing contingency plans to ensure students and visiting scholars can continue their work at the university, Harvard University President Alan Garber said in a statement to the school community.
"Each of us is part of a truly global university community," Garber said on June 4. "We know that the advantages of gathering talented minds from around the world are unique and unreplaceable."
Trump's decree drawn upon a broad law that allows the president to block foreigners whose entry would be damaging to U.S. interests. It's the same basis for a new travel ban blocking citizens from 12 countries and limiting access for those from seven other nations.
In its case, Harvard argued that Trump contradicts himself by expressing security concerns over incoming Harvard students while also saying they would be welcomed if they attended other U.S. universities. According to the school, this move renders any national security argument moot and lays bare the order's true purpose – to punish Harvard as a disliked institution.
Harvard has drawn an increasing number of bright minds from around the world, with international enrollment rising from 11% of the student body three decades ago to 26% today.
Adverts?? Adverts?? Adverts?? Rising international enrollment makes Harvard and other top-tier universities especially vulnerable to Trump's crackdown on foreign students. Republicans have been aiming to revamp America's academic elite, which they see as hotbeds of far-left ideologies and anti-Semitism.
According to Garber, the university responding to concerns about anti-Semitism, but Harvard will not compromise its "core, constitutionally-protected principles," even after receiving federal orders.
Trump's administration has also been moving to withdraw federal funding from Harvard, as it rejects White House demands related to campus protests, student admissions, hiring, and more. Harvard's $53 billion endowment allows it to weather the loss of funding for a while, although Garber has cautioned that "difficult decisions and sacrifices" may be on the horizon.
- The government's recent actions, such as President Trump's attempt to prevent foreign students from enrolling at Harvard University, have sparked concerns among education and self-development platforms, including Microsoft.
- In Seattle, Microsoft has been closely following the ongoing legal battle between Harvard University and the Trump administration, demonstrating its support for the university's stance on maintaining academic diversity and freedom.
- Business leaders, including those at Microsoft, believe that the Trump administration's policies could potentially impact general news and politics, not just education, as thousands of international students could be prevented from contributing to American businesses and industries.
- In the face of political turmoil and uncertain foreign policies, some students like Alan Wang, a potential Harvard graduate student, are considering facilities in friendlier immigration policy countries like Canada, Australia, and New Zealand for their education. However, these students hope for resolution in the legal proceedings, as they seek stability and certainty in their educational and career plans.
