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A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s controversial move to strip Harvard University of its ability to enrol foreign students, sparking a wave of relief—and continued uncertainty—across the prestigious institution’s international community.
The decision, issued by US District Judge Allison Burroughs on Friday, came in response to a lawsuit filed by Harvard. The university argued that the Department of Homeland Security’s abrupt revocation of its access to the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) was a “blatant violation” of federal law and a retaliatory act by the government.
“With the stroke of a pen, the government has sought to erase a quarter of Harvard’s student body,” the university wrote in its court filing, referencing the 6,800 international students who comprise over 27% of its current enrollment.
The Trump administration claims Harvard has failed to combat antisemitism and reform its admissions and hiring practices—allegations the university firmly denies. White House deputy press secretary Abigail Jackson criticized the restraining order as judicial overreach, accusing Judge Burroughs of having a “liberal agenda.”
On campus, anxiety runs high. With commencement preparations underway, many students are unsure if they can legally stay, return, or begin studies in the US. Cormac Savage, a graduating senior from Northern Ireland, is taking a job in Brussels due to the climate of uncertainty. Others, like UK junior Rohan Battula, opted to remain in the US for fear of not being allowed back.
“I was worried if I went home I wouldn’t get to come back,” Battula said.
The stakes are personal and financial. International students, who often pay full tuition—$59,320 annually, excluding living costs—are a major source of revenue. The sudden policy shift also affects families, like that of Isaac Bangura from Sierra Leone. “My kids have been asking, ‘Daddy, are they sending us home again?’” he said.
President Trump, who previously froze $2.2 billion in federal funding to Harvard, has threatened additional punitive measures, accusing elite universities of fostering anti-American and anti-Israel sentiment. Still, legal experts say Massachusetts courts have a track record of pushing back on similar actions.
With a next hearing scheduled for May 29, Harvard’s international students remain in limbo—caught between academic aspirations and a volatile political battle over immigration and free speech.
