The court rules in Harvard's case against Trump: it can continue to enroll foreigners.

BarcelonaHarvard University has won its first battle against the Donald Trump administration. A federal judge in Boston has decided to continue blocking the government measure that prevents the institution from enrolling international students. Judge Allison Burroughs had already issued a ruling. a precautionary order last week that blocked the Trump administration's initiative, but this Thursday held a hearing with representatives from Harvard and the US government and decided to maintain it and put the controversial presidential decision on paper.

In an attempt to get ahead of the court decision, the administration sent a statement to Harvard just hours before the court hearing informing it that it was giving it an additional 30 days to implement the measure. But the judge did not consider this sufficient and concluded that a preliminary injunction was necessary to stop any immediate changes and protect international students arriving at Harvard.

The Donald Trump administration suspended Harvard's ability to enroll international students last Thursday, in a further escalation of the president's confrontation with some of the country's most prestigious universities, which derive much of their funding from foreign students, who tend to pay higher fees. The Trump administration accuses Harvard of fomenting "violence and antisemitism and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus." The day after the announcement, Harvard filed a lawsuit, and a few hours later, a Boston judge temporarily blocked the government order.

International students make up approximately 27% of all Harvard students. The university had requested an extension of the court freeze to ensure that these students who are about to leave, coinciding with the end of the academic year, can return to campus to continue their studies while the litigation continues. This should also make things easier for freshmen planning to attend Harvard when the academic year begins.

War on Chinese Students

One of the most affected groups is Chinese students, who are in the crosshairs of the US government. On Wednesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the administration would revoke visas for students with "ties to the Chinese Communist Party" and would implement additional screening for all prospective Chinese students who apply for visas.

There are approximately 275,000 Chinese students in the United States, roughly 20% of all student visa holders. India is the only nation that sends more students to the US.

Trump's Retaliation

According to the New York TimesHarvard's lawyers have argued that the Trump administration's ban is unlawful and a political crusade against the nation's richest university. They cited numerous social media posts in which the president attacks the university for its political ideology and its professors, arguing that the measure is baseless and retaliatory.

The Trump administration is handing over a culture war against some of the country's leading universities under accusations of allowing "anti-Semitism" on its campuses, although it has also attacked equality, diversity, and equity policies. When protest encampments against the Gaza war began on campuses, Republicans and conservative groups accused the protesters of being anti-Semitic and instrumentalized the attacks to target universities.

The ban on enrolling international students follows the Trump administration's decision to suspend $60 million in federal contracts at Harvard and freeze $2.2 billion in federal funds, after the university refused to give in to the administration's demands to influence the curriculum.

Criticism of the graduation ceremony

Thursday's court hearing coincided with Harvard's graduation ceremony, where several protests against Trump's decision and support for the university administration were seen. According to the court, New York TimesHarvard President Alan Garber only managed to say "Welcome" before the crowd rose to its feet and gave him a standing ovation. He then welcomed "students from all over the world, as they should be," earning another long ovation.

Many students carried white flowers, and some signs were seen with messages in support of international students. Many faculty members also carried stickers reading, "Without our international students, Harvard is not Harvard."