Harvard University has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration after federal officials moved to revoke the institution’s ability to enrol international students, marking a sharp escalation in tensions between the White House and one of the nation’s most prestigious academic institutions.
In a legal complaint filed in federal court in Boston, Harvard denounced the administration’s actions as a “blatant violation” of the law. The suit comes just one day after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced it would strip the university of its certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), which authorizes the enrollment of foreign students.
The DHS cited Harvard’s alleged failure to combat antisemitism and to reform its hiring and admissions policies as justification for the move—accusations the university has firmly denied.
Harvard currently hosts approximately 6,800 international students, accounting for over 27% of its total enrollment. The university contends that the federal action threatens the very foundation of its diverse academic community.
“With the stroke of a pen, the government has sought to erase a quarter of Harvard’s student body—international students who contribute significantly to the university and its mission,” Harvard stated in its lawsuit.
The university is seeking a court injunction to stop DHS from enforcing Thursday’s revocation order, which jeopardizes Harvard’s ability to admit and support foreign students through SEVP.
In a strongly worded letter, Harvard President Alan Garber condemned the administration’s move.
“We condemn this unlawful and unwarranted action,” Garber wrote. “The revocation continues a series of government actions to retaliate against Harvard for our refusal to surrender our academic independence and to submit to the federal government’s illegal assertion of control over our curriculum, our faculty, and our student body.”
The Trump administration has repeatedly targeted Harvard and other elite institutions, accusing them of tolerating antisemitism, failing to curb pro-Palestinian activism, and discriminating against conservative voices. These claims have been central to a broader campaign by the administration to reshape higher education policy.
In recent months, the administration has opened investigations into dozens of U.S. universities and has secured concessions from institutions such as Columbia University in New York. In April, the White House froze $2.2 billion in federal funding to Harvard, prompting the university to file an earlier lawsuit seeking to block that action. Trump has also threatened to revoke Harvard’s tax-exempt status—a classification typically granted to educational institutions.
Harvard, a cornerstone of the Ivy League, is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, just outside Boston. The outcome of the lawsuit could have sweeping implications for international students, academic freedom, and the future relationship between the federal government and American universities.