Harvard calls Trump’s visa ban on its international students unconstitutional

Harvard University has taken a bold step in challenging the Trump administration’s decision to ban entry to foreign students with F and J visas if they plan to attend the prestigious Ivy League institution. In an amended complaint filed in federal court, Harvard argues that the ban is unconstitutional and specifically targets Harvard-bound students, rather than addressing any legitimate national security concerns.

The ban affects over 7,000 students at Harvard who hold F-1 or J-1 visas, as well as their families and dependents. Without these visas, these students are unable to study, teach, or conduct research in the United States. Harvard’s lawsuit contends that the proclamation lacks any lawful basis and is essentially a government vendetta against the university for refusing to comply with the administration’s demands.

In April, the Trump administration sent Harvard a list of demands, including ideological screening of students and faculty, viewpoint diversity quotas, and punishment of student activist groups. When Harvard refused to comply, the government froze $2.2 billion in research funding and threatened to revoke the university’s tax-exempt status. The administration also accused Harvard of hiring “woke, Radical Left, idiots” and claimed it was no longer a great university.

The Department of Homeland Security subsequently revoked Harvard’s SEVP certification, which allows the school to sponsor international students. However, a federal judge blocked this decision, leading Harvard to argue that the administration is using the proclamation to circumvent the courts.

Harvard’s amended complaint reveals that the university is being represented by Robert Hur, the former special counsel who interviewed former President Joe Biden. The university maintains that it has provided all required information on its international student population and that the revocation of its certification is a pretext for targeting the institution specifically.

In response to the lawsuit, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin defended the administration’s actions, stating that it is a privilege, not a right, for universities to enroll foreign students. The Trump administration is committed to restoring common sense to the student visa system, despite the legal challenges it faces.

As the legal battle continues, international students like Jing from China and Yonas Nuguse from Ethiopia face uncertainty and frustration. Jing, a 23-year-old graduate student interning in Asia, expressed feeling numb with the situation, while Yonas, who survived war and school shutdowns to be accepted to Harvard, hopes that the situation is temporary and that he can enroll on time.

The outcome of Harvard’s lawsuit against the Trump administration remains to be seen, but the university’s challenge highlights the ongoing tensions between academic institutions and the government over immigration policies and national security concerns.