A federal judge on Monday issued an extension of an order temporarily blocking the Trump administration from barring international student visas for foreign students studying at Harvard University.
US District Judge Allison Burroughs said she would extend the order, which was set to expire on Thursday, so she could have more time to consider and issue a ruling.
The Monday preliminary injunction hearing also addressed the administration’s preventing Harvard from enrolling international students. The university filed its second lawsuit against the federal government last month; the first was filed in April.
A preliminary injunction would effectively replace the two temporary restraining orders that have been granted to allow for the court case to continue until the judge makes a final determination on the legality of the case.
Harvard’s legal team argued that the Trump administration’s proclamation violated the university’s free speech rights. It claimed it was retaliation for the school’s refusal to comply with the White House’s demands regarding control of its governance, curriculum, and ideology. “The proclamation is a plain violation fo the First Amendment,” argued attorney Ian Gershengorn, according to Reuters.
Previously, Harvard insisted that the White House’s objective is to “sever Harvard from its international students, with the inevitable and intended effect of wreaking havoc on the Harvard community.”
Conversely, the Trump administration insists that the ban on international students is necessary for protecting national security and cracking down on pro-Hamas protests on campus. It argued that Harvard is ‘no longer a trustworthy steward of international student and exchange visitor programs.”
BREAKING: A federal judge has extended the block on Trump’s international student ban on Harvard University.
— Jack (@jackunheard) June 16, 2025
When does it end? pic.twitter.com/KiFpyEV4lx
The legal battle began when Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced in May that it was revoking Harvard’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification. The program allows universities to admit international students.
Judge Burroughs will consider whether to issue a broader injunction on the Trump administration or to lift it altogether.
This is the latest battle against President Donald Trump’s efforts to address the rise of anti-Jewish bigotry on college campuses. Under the Biden administration, there was a wave of pro-Hamas protests in universities. Activists targeted Jewish students with threats and physical violence. When Trump took office, he vowed to take action against universities that refused to deal with the targeting of Jewish students and support for terrorism.