Harvard University has filed a federal lawsuit against the administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump over a decision to revoke its ability to enroll international students, including many from Nigeria
In the suit filed Friday in a Boston federal court, Harvard argues that the government’s action violates the First Amendment and would cause “immediate and devastating” harm to the university and over 7,000 international students.
“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 lawsuit states.
The legal challenge came just a day after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced plans to revoke Harvard’s certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, which allows the university to admit foreign students.
The Trump administration claims Harvard has failed to adequately address antisemitism and has resisted changes to its hiring and admissions practices—allegations the university strongly denies.
Harvard President Alan Garber condemned the move, calling it “unlawful and unwarranted.” In a public letter, he wrote, “The revocation continues a series of government actions to retaliate against Harvard for our refusal to surrender our academic independence and to submit to the federal government’s illegal assertion of control over our curriculum, our faculty, and our student body.”
International students currently make up more than 27% of Harvard’s student population, with approximately 6,800 students from over 100 countries, mostly enrolled in graduate programs.
The lawsuit also seeks an emergency court order to block the DHS action, adding to ongoing legal tensions between Harvard and the Trump administration. Earlier this year, the administration froze $2.2 billion in federal funding to Harvard and threatened to strip the university of its tax-exempt status—moves that led to a separate lawsuit.
Harvard is among several elite universities facing increasing pressure from the former administration, which has accused top institutions of enabling pro-Palestinian activism and discriminating against conservative voices.
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