A federal judge has once again halted an attempt by the Trump administration to restrict international students at Harvard University, reinforcing a major legal setback for a controversial immigration policy.
Highlights:
- Judge grants second injunction against Trump’s student visa rule.
- The case involved international students attending Harvard.
- Court sided with universities challenging federal restrictions.
Main Story:
A federal judge has issued a second preliminary injunction blocking former President Donald Trump’s administration from enforcing a rule that would prevent international students from studying at Harvard University. The decision reinforces an earlier ruling that deemed the policy discriminatory and harmful to higher education institutions.
The Trump-era measure targeted international students taking online-only classes, a format many universities adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic. The rule would have forced such students to leave the United States or transfer to schools offering in-person classes, sparking outcry across academic circles.
Harvard, alongside the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), led the legal charge against the policy, arguing that it endangered students’ futures and undermined the country’s leadership in global education.
In the latest ruling, the court emphasized the importance of academic autonomy and the value international students bring to U.S. campuses. The judge maintained that the policy lacked justification and disproportionately affected non-citizens without considering broader educational impacts.
The Trump administration had defended the rule as a matter of immigration control, but critics widely viewed it as part of a broader push to curb legal immigration.
In a world where education crosses borders, the courts are making it clear — learning shouldn’t be locked down by politics.
