Harvard takes legal fight to court after Trump admin revokes international student enrollment rights

Harvard University has launched a high-stakes legal battle against the Trump administration following a sudden federal move to revoke its authorization to enroll international students, a decision Harvard calls a “blatant violation” of the US Constitution and federal law.

In a formal complaint filed May 23 in Boston’s federal court, Harvard decried the revocation as an unprecedented assault on the First Amendment, the Due Process Clause, and the Administrative Procedure Act, accusing the government of stripping the university of its certification under the federal Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) without due process or justification.

“This revocation came with immediate and devastating effect — threatening the futures of over 7,000 visa holders and attempting to erase a quarter of Harvard’s student body,” the university stated, underscoring the critical role international students play in advancing its academic mission.

The timing of the government’s move, which followed weeks of mounting tension between the Trump administration and higher education institutions, suggests an aggressive escalation. The Department of Homeland Security warned that more than 6,000 international students currently enrolled at Harvard face losing their legal status or being forced to transfer elsewhere.

Last month, President Trump threatened to impose such a ban unless Harvard acquiesced to political oversight demands — a move the administration framed as a crackdown on perceived institutional failings, including allegations of tolerating anti-Semitism on campuses nationwide. Harvard’s lawsuit describes the administration’s actions as retaliatory and politically motivated, targeting the university’s autonomy.

This is not Harvard’s first clash with the administration; earlier this year, the university challenged the government’s freeze on $2.3 billion in federal funding. Now, Harvard’s legal team vows to fight back, defending its decades-long commitment to welcoming international students and protecting academic freedom.

“By revoking our longstanding certification overnight, the government seeks to silence and dismantle an essential part of our community,” Harvard said in a statement. “We will vigorously defend the rights of our students and our institution.”

As the dispute unfolds, the implications resonate far beyond Harvard’s campus—raising urgent questions about the future of international education in America and the limits of federal power over academic institutions.