US court blocks Trump administration on Harvard foreign students

Washington, May 23 (IANS) A US judge in the state of Massachusetts on Friday temporarily blocked the Trump administration's order revoking Harvard University's certification to enroll international students.

The court decision came a day after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) cancelled Harvard's certification to use the SEVIS system -- Student and Exchange Visitor Information System -- in an escalation of US President Donald Trump's attack on the Ivy League school.

The DHS decision had also told the university that foreign students on its rolls currently must transfer to another college or lose status.

There are an estimated 780 Indian students and scholars at Harvard.

"With the stroke of a pen, the government has sought to erase a quarter of Harvard's student body, international students who contribute significantly to the university and its mission," Harvard said in a lawsuit filed in this court on Friday morning.

"Without its international students, Harvard is not Harvard."

In a letter to the college's community, Alan M. Garber, Harvard's President, wrote, "We condemn this unlawful and unwarranted action."

He added that it "imperils the futures of thousands of students and scholars across Harvard and serves as a warning to countless others at colleges and universities throughout the country who have come to America to pursue their education and fulfill their dreams".

The Trump administration has suspended all funding for the University and sought to revoke its tax-exempt status over its handling of the pro-Palestine protests and attacks on Jewish students.

Trump has also gone against other major colleges as well such as Colombia University.

The DHS had demanded information from Harvard on its 7,000 foreign students across its 13 schools, which was submitted.

"Yet on May 22, DHS deemed Harvard's response "insufficient," without explaining why or citing any regulation with which Harvard failed to comply," the lawsuit said.

The court's temporary block on the DHS order came within hours of the lawsuit.

--IANS

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