Trump ban on entry of international Harvard students blocked by US judge

A federal judge in Boston on Thursday issued a temporary injunction preventing U.S. President Donald Trump from prohibiting foreign nationals from entering the U.S. to study or engage in exchange programs at Harvard University.

A two-page temporary restraining order issued to Harvard by U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs has prevented Trump’s proclamation from becoming effective while further litigation is pursued amid a growing conflict between the Ivy League institution and the Republican president.

The judge decided that Trump’s order barring foreign nationals from coming to the U.S. to study at Harvard for the next six months would lead to “immediate and irreparable harm” before the courts can evaluate the case.

Last month, Burroughs prevented Trump from enforcing a different order that would ban Harvard from admitting international students, who constitute over a quarter of its enrollment. On Thursday, Harvard updated its lawsuit to contest the new directive, asserting that Trump is in breach of Burroughs’ ruling.

“The Proclamation denies thousands of Harvard’s students the right to come to this country to pursue their education and follow their dreams, and it denies Harvard the right to teach them. Without its international students, Harvard is not Harvard,” the school said in the filing.

Burroughs’ order on Thursday also continued a separate temporary restraining order she issued on May 23 against the administration’s restriction on international student enrollment at Harvard.

Earlier on Thursday, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson called Harvard “a hotbed of anti-American, anti-Semitic, pro-terrorist agitators,” claims that the school has previously denied.

“Harvard’s behavior has jeopardized the integrity of the entire U.S. student and exchange visitor visa system and risks compromising national security. Now it must face the consequences of its actions,” Jackson said in a statement.

The university filed a lawsuit after Homeland Security revoked its certification for enrolling foreign students. A judge temporarily blocked the action. Although the department opted for a lengthy administrative challenge, the judge planned a preliminary injunction to protect international students. Harvard denied claims of foreign ties and inadequate discipline, calling them unsubstantiated.