Harvard University has filed a second federal lawsuit against the Trump administration following a decision by the Department of Homeland Security to revoke the university’s certification to enroll international students.
In a complaint filed in Boston federal court, Harvard described the revocation as a “blatant violation” of the First Amendment and federal law. The university cautioned that the move would have an “immediate and devastating effect” on the institution and the more than 7,000 visa-holding students currently enrolled.
“It is the latest act by the government in clear retaliation for Harvard exercising its First Amendment rights to reject the government’s demands to control Harvard’s governance, curriculum, and the ‘ideology’ of its faculty and students,” the complaint reads in part.
The decision, announced by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Wednesday, ends Harvard’s participation in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program starting with the 2025–2026 academic year. Noem noted concerns about antisemitism, campus protests and alleged ties to the Chinese Communist Party as justification for the action.
“No government—regardless of which party is in power—should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue,” Harvard President Alan Garber said in a statement last month.
The move comes amid deepened tensions between the Ivy League institution and the Trump administration over its handling of campus protests related to Israel’s military actions in Gaza, which have sparked nationwide demonstrations. A Trump-appointed antisemitism task force has criticized Harvard, accusing it of failing to respond to antisemitic incidents sufficiently and allowing protests that “foster violence.”
This administration is holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus.
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) May 22, 2025
It is a privilege, not a right, for universities to enroll foreign students and benefit from their higher tuition payments… pic.twitter.com/12hJWd1J86
“They have repeatedly failed to take action to address the widespread problems negatively impacting American students and now they must face the consequences of their actions,” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said in a statement.
The administration has also demanded that Harvard dismantle its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, limit student protests and turn over admission records for federal review. Harvard has resisted those demands, arguing they constitute government overreach and undermine the university’s autonomy.
Earlier this year, the Trump administration revoked $2.2 billion in federal funding to the university, followed by a further $450 million in grant terminations earlier this month. Harvard’s latest lawsuit follows its initial legal challenge to the funding cuts filed in April.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, if the revocation proceeds, over 6,000 international students will be required to transfer or risk losing their legal immigration status.
