Harvard University filed a lawsuit Friday against the Trump administration over what it described as a retaliatory move to strip the institution of its right to enroll foreign students.
The lawsuit, lodged in federal court in Massachusetts, follows Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s decision Thursday to revoke Harvard’s certification to host international students—an action that throws the academic future of thousands into uncertainty. Foreign nationals make up over a quarter of Harvard’s student body.
President Donald Trump has accused Harvard of fostering antisemitism, promoting leftist ideology, and resisting federal oversight. The administration has already frozen $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in contracts, and threatened to review $9 billion in federal funding.
In a statement, Harvard President Alan Garber condemned the move as “unlawful and unwarranted,” accusing the government of retaliating against the university’s refusal to “submit to political control over governance, curriculum, and academic freedom.”
“This action imperils the futures of thousands of students and scholars and sends a chilling message to international academia,” he said.
The Department of Homeland Security claimed Harvard has facilitated antisemitism and ties with the Chinese Communist Party. China, whose students make up over 20% of Harvard’s international enrollment, condemned the action as politicized and harmful to U.S. global standing.
Harvard is also seeking a temporary restraining order to block the ban, marking the second time it has taken the Trump administration to court this year over punitive measures.
Student backlash has grown, with some, like Austrian undergraduate Karl Molden, already applying to transfer abroad. “It’s scary and saddening,” Molden said. “Being admitted to Harvard was the greatest privilege of my life.”
Faculty groups branded the decision “authoritarian,” warning it represents an attack on academic freedom nationwide.
