On Thursday, Harvard amended its ongoing lawsuit against the Trump administration to challenge the new proclamation directly.

A U.S. federal judge on Thursday temporarily halted President Donald Trump’s attempt to block visas for international students planning to attend Harvard University, following a legal challenge filed by the university.

On Thursday, Harvard amended its ongoing lawsuit against the Trump administration to challenge the new proclamation directly.

The university argued that the order unlawfully targeted its international students and posed significant harm to academic operations.

According to the Washington Post, District Court Judge Allison Burroughs issued a temporary restraining order barring the implementation and enforcement of a presidential proclamation Trump signed on Wednesday.

The proclamation sought to deny visas to foreign students enrolling at Harvard, escalating the administration’s broader efforts to limit the university’s international student population.

This latest action follows a previous attempt by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in late May to revoke Harvard’s certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), a move that would have blocked the school from enrolling foreign students.

Judge Burroughs had already issued a temporary restraining order in that case as well.

On Thursday, she extended that order until June 20 or until a preliminary injunction is granted.

In her ruling, Judge Burroughs said the restraining orders are intended “to preserve the status quo pending a hearing,” signaling judicial skepticism toward the administration’s sudden policy shifts.

SaharaReporters earlier reported that Harvard University had filed a lawsuit against the Donald Trump administration challenging its decision to bar the university from enrolling international students.

The university argues that the move is an unconstitutional act of retaliation for not complying with political demands from the White House.

The lawsuit, filed in May in federal court in Boston, argues that the government’s action violates the First Amendment and will have an "immediate and devastating effect for Harvard and more than 7,000 visa holders."

Harvard is seeking a temporary restraining order to prevent the Department of Homeland Security from enforcing the ban.

"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," the university said in its legal filing.

Harvard enrols nearly 6,800 international students at its Cambridge, Massachusetts campus. Most of these students are graduate students from over 100 countries.

The Department of Homeland Security announced the ban on Thursday, accusing Harvard of allowing "anti-American, pro-terrorist agitators" to assault Jewish students on campus.

The department also alleged that Harvard coordinated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and hosted members of a Chinese paramilitary group as recently as 2024.

Earlier this month, Harvard President Alan Garber said the university had made changes to governance, including efforts to combat antisemitism.

He added the school would stand firm on "its core, legally-protected principles" despite threats of retaliation.Best online courses. 

Harvard said it will respond later to the CCP-related allegations first raised by House Republicans.

The ban follows a 16 April demand from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who requested that Harvard provide records of foreign students who might have been involved in violence or protests that could lead to their deportation.

Noem gave the university 72 hours to produce extensive records, including audio and video footage of students participating in protests or dangerous activities.

This lawsuit is separate from an earlier case in which Harvard challenged a freeze of more than $2 billion in federal funding imposed by the Republican administration