‘Rights must be protected’: US Judge Blocks Trump’s order at Harvard University – what does it mean for foreign students

A federal judge on Monday issued a second initial verification against the efforts to prevent international students of the Trump administration from attending Harvard University.American District Judge Elison Buroz ruled in favor of Harvard, allowing foreign students to continue traveling to the US for their studies, while the matter proceeds. It follows an prohibition issued last Friday, in response to federal action against the university.He said in a statement, “The matter is about the main constitutional rights that should be protected: freedom of thought, freedom of expression, and freedom of speech, each of which is a pillar of working democracy and is an essential defense against dictatorialism,” he said in a statement.US President Donald Trump is pressurizing Harvard to change his policies, which criticizes the institution as highly generous. His administration has cut the research fund by more than $ 2.6 billion, abolishing federal contracts, and threatened to cancel Harvard’s tax-free situation.Last week, in a true social post, Trump said that the administration was interacting with Harvard and indicated on a possible agreement, saying that the university had worked “properly” during the negotiations. However, Harvard President Alan Garber has stated that the school would not compromise on the “core, legally protected principles” despite the pressure from Washington.Implications for international studentsDespite the decision of the federal court in favor of Harvard, many international students face difficulties in entering the US. Students have reported issues in airports and consulates, where federal authorities have followed old or inconsistent guidance, resulting in the refusal of visa or entry even after the prohibition is issued.Harvard, which has around 7,000 international students, stated that federal action already caused “deep fear, anxiety and confusion”. Many students have considered transferring due to uncertainty around their visa status.Marine Martin, director of Harvard’s immigration services, confirmed that many students were released into Limbo. The university argued that losing its international student body would harm its academic mission and global stand. “Without his international students, Harvard is not Harvard,” is said in the case.In response, Harvard is developing contingency plans to ensure that the affected students can continue their education regardless of the ongoing legal or policy changes.For students deciding students, such as booking flights, signing leases, or leaving jobs in their home countries, lack of clarity has been particularly disruptive.The dispute began in May when the Homeland Security Department withdrew the certification of Harvard to host foreign students, which would have forced them to leave or live in the US without legal status. Harvard filed a case, claiming that the move was vengerated to dismiss federal demands to change its policies when the move, protests of the campus, and their policies.Monday’s prohibition also blocks a separate announcement issued by Trump on 4 June, which tried to use a separate legal basis for international students. Judge Baroz stopped that action with a temporary preventive order before issuing this new decision.