By Newspot Nigeria Staff Writer
In a fresh blow to President Donald J. Trump’s escalating confrontation with elite academic institutions, a federal judge has blocked his attempt to revoke visas for international students admitted to Harvard University.
The ruling came Thursday from Judge Allison D. Burroughs, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama and is herself a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania — the same Ivy League alma mater as President Trump.
Judge Burroughs granted a temporary restraining order that halts enforcement of Trump’s new proclamation, which sought to deny visas to foreign students enrolling at Harvard. The decision also extends a prior order that prevents the Department of Homeland Security from revoking Harvard’s certification to host international students.
“This is about protecting constitutional norms and ensuring institutions are not punished for ideological independence,” the judge noted, preserving what she called the **“status quo pending a hearing.”_
The Trump administration’s proclamation, issued just one day prior, sparked outrage at Harvard, which swiftly filed a legal challenge. The university argues the move is retaliation for its refusal to allow federal audits of student views and campus programming.
“This is not about immigration. It’s about intimidation,” said Harvard President Alan Garber, defending the school’s global academic mission.
The proclamation not only targeted new student visas but also ordered a review of all existing F, M, and J visa holders at Harvard, potentially putting hundreds of international students at risk of removal.
Harvard’s amended complaint slammed the policy as “unlawful and vindictive”, stating that it seeks to punish the university for refusing to submit to political directives — particularly amid tensions over protests, curriculum content, and foreign collaborations.
“The government’s actions have no basis in law,” the complaint reads.
“They are rooted in retribution, not national interest.”
With the order now blocked, all eyes will turn to a scheduled hearing before June 20, where the court will decide whether to issue a preliminary injunction.
As tensions escalate between the Trump White House and academia, Judge Burroughs — an Obama appointee and fellow Penn alum — may once again find herself at the center of a constitutional standoff with the current president.
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