Our Bureau
Washington, DC
Following a federal judge’s decision to temporarily block President Donald Trump’s recent attempt to bar international students from entering the United States to study at Harvard University, the US State Department has instructed all embassies and consulates across the globe to resume processing student and exchange visitor visas for the university.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio signed the June 6 instruction, which is consistent with a temporary restraining order imposed by U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs in Boston. The judge extended a prior injunction preventing the Department of Homeland Security from rescinding Harvard’s certification to admit international students, ruling that Harvard had proven it would suffer “immediate and irreparable injury” if the ban were implemented.
More than 7,000 international students attend Harvard University, which had sued the administration, claiming that its measures were retaliatory and infringed upon its rights. Since students would still be permitted to attend other American universities, the university contended that the ban went against national security assertions.
Experts warn that Harvard’s global community may still be impacted by the administration’s policies’ wider ramifications even after the court’s intervention. Concerns over the long-term repercussions on academic freedom and institutional independence have been raised by the Trump administration’s freezing of more than $2.2 billion in research funding and threat to the university’s tax-exempt status.
The extension of the temporary restraining order will be decided at a court hearing on June 16. Harvard has reaffirmed its dedication to a diverse and inclusive academic community while continuing to assist its overseas scholars and students.
