Judge postpones decision in Harvard lawsuit against Trump over international students
Source: NPR
Updated June 16, 2025 1:00 PM ET
A federal judge on Monday delayed a ruling on whether to continue blocking President Trump's proclamation barring international students from attending Harvard University. A previous temporary order blocking the June 4th order will remain in place until next week, when Judge Allison D. Burroughs hopes to have a decision. Lawyers for both Harvard and the Trump Administration offered their arguments to the court Monday morning in Boston.
Rather than disqualifying Harvard students from receiving visas, as other federal agencies have attempted to do, the presidential order marked the first time Trump has stepped in directly, using his executive powers to limit Harvard. His executive order says the university has failed to account for "known illegal activity" by students there.
"Admission into the United States to attend, conduct research, or teach at our Nation's institutions of higher education is a privilege granted by our Government, not a guarantee," the proclamation states. The Trump administration has also argued that Harvard violated students' civil rights, including failing to protect Jewish students, and that banning the school from enrolling international students is warranted.
The Ivy League school amended an existing lawsuit against the administration to ask a judge to block the order, calling the president's actions "another illegal retaliatory step," and claiming the government is in violation of the school's First Amendment rights. U.S. District Judge Alison D. Burroughs, an Obama appointee, issued a temporary block and on Monday will decide whether to extend it until Harvard's lawsuit goes to trial.
Read more: https://www.npr.org/2025/06/16/nx-s1-5432750/harvard-lawsuit-international-students-hearing