A federal judge on Friday blocked the Trump administration from revoking Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students — but President Trump said Friday he could strike a “deal” to resolve his battles with the Ivy League school within days.
The preliminary injunction from U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs bars the government from cutting off Harvard’s access to the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, a federal database that keeps track of student visa applications. The Boston-based judge had previously blocked the policy through a temporary restraining order.
Minutes later on Friday, Mr. Trump posted on Truth Social that his administration has been “working closely with Harvard, and it is very possible that a Deal will be announced over the next week or so.”
“They have acted extremely appropriately during these negotiations, and appear to be committed to doing what is right,” the president wrote. “If a Settlement is made on the basis that is currently being discussed, it will be “mindbogglingly” HISTORIC, and very good for our Country.”
Mr. Trump did not provide further details on the settlement talks. CBS News has reached out to Harvard and the White House for comment on the discussions.
The Department of Homeland Security told Harvard in May it was revoking its student visa system certification, telling the school “it is a privilege to enroll foreign students” — and the school “lost this privilege” by allegedly failing to deal with campus antisemitism. Harvard quickly sued, arguing the school was being punished for defying the administration’s political agenda, and Burroughs sided with Harvard.
Mr. Trump issued a separate order earlier this month barring most international students from entering the U.S. to study at Harvard. Burroughs blocked that move two weeks ago, though her ruling Friday did not address Mr. Trump’s order.
In reaction to the judge’s Friday ruling, a Harvard spokesperson said: “The Court order allows Harvard to continue enrolling international students and scholars while the case moves forward. Harvard will continue to defend its rights—and the rights of its students and scholars.”
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement Burroughs’ ruling is “in direct conflict with the President’s constitutionally vested powers under Article II and those granted by federal law.”
“It is a privilege, not a right, for universities to enroll foreign students and benefit from their higher tuition payments to help pad their multibillion-dollar endowments. The Trump administration is committed to restoring common sense to our student visa system; no lawsuit, this or any other, is going to change that,” McLaughlin said.
The battle over international students could have grave consequences for Harvard, where about one in four students hail from outside the United States. Mr. Trump suggested last month that Harvard should cap its foreign student enrollment at 15%, and share more information with the government so it can determine whether prospective students are “troublemakers.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also ordered “additional vetting” for anybody who wants to travel to Harvard from abroad, including students as well as staff, faculty, guest speakers and tourists, CBS News has previously reported.
It’s part of a wider back-and-forth between Harvard and the Trump administration. In April, the administration pushed the school to make a range of policy changes in order to maintain its “financial relationship” with the government, including external audits of some academic departments and an end to diversity, equity and inclusion programs. When the school refused, the government said it would cut off billions of dollars in grants to Harvard.
Other universities have faced similar pressure, including demands for policy changes — often zeroing in on the schools’ handling of pro-Palestinian protests — and grant freezes.
Earlier this week, the State Department announced guidelines for vetting student visa applicants’ social media accounts, telling staff to look for signs of “hostility” toward the U.S.
And some international students who are already in the U.S. have faced scrutiny. Authorities have detained several students linked to pro-Palestinian activism, including Mahmoud Khalil and Mohsen Mahdawi from Columbia and Rumeysa Ozturk from Tufts. Mahdawi and Ozturk have since been released, and a judge ordered Khalil’s release Friday.
