A federal judge in the United States has issued a temporary injunction preventing the Trump administration from proceeding with its decision to withdraw Harvard University’s accreditation to enroll international students amid standoff over policy change.
The ruling came as a partial legal victory for Harvard after the Trump administration removed the institution from the Department of Homeland Security’s SEVP program allowing the school to register foreign students, resulting in an ongoing lawsuit against the government.
The standoff between America’s oldest university and the Trump administration began in April when the institution refused demands from the government requiring the elimination of its ‘racist’ diversity programs, which the management explicitly refused.
After issuing a restraining order against the Trump administration on the matter last month, U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs finally heard arguments from both sides on Monday over whether she should also indefinitely block the edict.
Delivering her judgment on Friday, Ms Burroughs issued a preliminary injunction against the Trump administration, allowing Harvard to host foreign students and scholars, which make up roughly a quarter of the school’s student body.
As part of his move to punish Harvard for refusing his demands, the Trump administration also cut off over $2.6 billion in federal research funding to the university in another case that is now in court.
