Judge blocks Trump administration’s effort to bar Harvard from enrolling international students

A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to prevent Harvard University from admitting international students. The judge’s decision allows Harvard to continue enrolling international students, putting a halt to the administration’s efforts, at least temporarily. The ruling came after a hearing in Boston where lawyers from Harvard and the Trump administration were present. The judge had previously issued a temporary restraining order in favor of Harvard.

The judge’s decision was seen as a relief by many, including a first-year international student at Harvard who was concerned about her upcoming internship. Harvard has a significant number of international students, making up over a quarter of the student body. The Trump administration had given Harvard 30 days to contest the revocation of its ability to enroll international students, but the judge expressed the need for a more immediate resolution to provide certainty to the students.

Harvard’s lawyers argued that the administration was targeting the university unfairly, citing social media posts from the president as evidence. The Trump administration claimed that Harvard had not maintained a safe environment and accused the school of collaborating with the Chinese Communist Party. Harvard’s president acknowledged the issues and outlined steps the school is taking to address them.