US judge bars Trump administration from revoking Harvard’s ability to enrol international students

A federal judge in the United States on Friday blocked the Donald Trump administration from stripping Harvard University of its ability to enrol or retain international students, NBC News reported.

US District Judge Allison D Burroughs issued a temporary restraining order after Harvard on Friday filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security’s decision to revoke the university’s certification for international students on Thursday.

The action would have otherwise prevented Harvard from admitting new international students and forced current ones to transfer to other universities or lose their legal immigrant status.

Following the judge’s decision, international students are permitted to remain enrolled at Harvard until the matter is heard again by the court on May 29, BBC reported.

In a press release on Thursday, the homeland security department claimed that the university was “being held accountable” for allegedly collaborating with the Chinese Communist Party, “fostering violence, antisemitism and pro-terrorist conduct” from students on the campus.

In its complaint, Harvard asserted that the administration’s decision to block the enrolment of international students violated the university’s constitutional rights and would severely disrupt its operations, NBC News reported.

“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,” BBC quoted the institution...

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