Federal Judge Halts Trump’s Attack on Harvard’s International Students, Citing First Amendment Violations

 

Federal Judge Blocks Trump’s Attempt to Ban International Students from Harvard, Citing Constitutional Violations

In a major legal blow to Donald Trump, a federal judge on Friday blocked his attempt to bar Harvard University from enrolling international students, calling the move a “blatant violation” of the Constitution.

And the ruling didn’t stop there.

“Revoking Harvard’s certification is unlawful many times over,” wrote U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs. “It is a pillar of our constitutional system that the government cannot ‘invok[e] legal sanctions and other means of coercion’ to police private speech—especially when that treatment stems from viewpoint discrimination.”

She continued, “The government’s effort to punish the University for refusing to abandon its academic independence, and for its perceived viewpoint, is a clear violation of the First Amendment.”

The decision followed a complaint filed earlier Friday by Harvard in Boston federal court. The university warned that the ban would have a “devastating effect” on both the school and over 7,000 international students who currently hold visas—roughly 27% of Harvard’s student body.

“With the stroke of a pen, the government has sought to erase a quarter of Harvard’s student population—international students who contribute profoundly to the university and its mission,” the lawsuit stated.

Judge Burroughs issued a temporary restraining order, saying it was necessary to prevent Harvard from suffering “immediate and irreparable injury” before a full hearing could be held. That hearing is now set for May 29, when the court will consider a long-term injunction against Trump’s actions.

“We condemn this unlawful and unwarranted action,” said Harvard President Alan Garber. “It imperils the futures of thousands of students and scholars at Harvard, and sends a chilling message to others across the country who come to the United States to pursue education and fulfill their dreams.”

Trump’s attempt to punish Harvard is part of a broader authoritarian strategy to impose MAGA control across American society—from weaponizing tariffs to distort the economy, to seizing control of cultural institutions like the Kennedy Center, to undermining the legal system with lawsuits targeting major law firms.

His attack on international students fits squarely within his xenophobic agenda—granting him more power over academic institutions while vilifying foreign-born individuals for political gain.