US federal judge has suspended a proclamation from President Donald Trump aimed at preventing new foreign students from entering the country to study at Harvard University. The move marks the latest flashpoint in a growing legal battle between the Ivy League institution and the Trump administration. The presidential order was designed to block the granting of new F, M, and J category visas to Harvard students. The university filed a revised lawsuit hours later, accusing the administration of trying to circumvent an earlier court order and launching what it described as an "unlawful retaliation" against Harvard for pushing back on federal orders.

On Thursday, US District Judge Allison Burroughs granted a temporary restraining order blocking enforcement of the proclamation, citing academic freedom concerns and possible constitutional violations. “The court finds sufficient grounds to believe that the proclamation may infringe on First Amendment protections and cause irreparable harm to Harvard’s academic and institutional integrity,” the judge wrote.

Harvard: 'This is Retaliation, Not National Security'

In its complaint, Harvard labeled the university's move as a "transparent end-run" around an earlier decision that had already prevented attempts to rescind the certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). "This is another attempt at punishing Harvard because it will not bow to political pressure," the revised complaint states. Harvard President Alan Garber condemned firmly the administration's action as "illegal, retaliatory, and damaging to the fundamental values of higher education." He reassured the Harvard community that Harvard would continue to defend its students and institutional autonomy.

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Legal experts pointed out that the proclamation seems to target Harvard specifically, instead of being issued uniformly to all US institutions raising further constitutional issues.“Targeting a specific university, especially one engaged in ongoing litigation with the government, raises serious questions of fairness and legality,” said Professor Dana Prescott, a constitutional law expert at Yale. The Trump administration has argued the proclamation on national interest grounds, but it is unclear under the law. The order does not specifically name any group of people who are a threat, as immigration law requires, and instead sweeps broadly over all recently admitted foreign students at Harvard.

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What's Next?

Harvard has requested the court to turn the restraining order into a preliminary injunction, which would enjoin the policy until the case is fully heard. A hearing on the injunction will take place in the coming weeks. For the moment, the ruling permits Harvard to keep taking international student enrollments while the litigation continues. Harvard has reaffirmed its dedication to international academic engagement and threatened that any interruption of its international programs would cause irreparable harm. "Without its international students, Harvard is not Harvard," the institution said in its filing. The case may have implications for immigration policy and academic freedom in the United States as legal challenges to executive power continue to accumulate.