Harvard sues Trump admin over ban on enrolling international students

Harvard University filed a lawsuit Friday against the Trump administration over banning the Ivy League school from enrolling international students.

The Department of Homeland Security on Thursday ordered the elimination of the school's Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification.

"This administration is holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus. 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," Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said.

Harvard filed its lawsuit in Boston federal court, claiming the government's action is a violation of the First Amendment and will have an “immediate and devastating effect for Harvard and more than 7,000 visa holders,” according to the Associated Press.

“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 the court filing.

The university plans on filing a request for a temporary restraining order to block DHS from following through.

Harvard has almost 6,800 international students enrolled at its Cambridge, Mass., campus, and most are graduate students that come from more than 100 countries.

The DHS order is the result of an April 16 request to Harvard from Noem regarding information about international students that might implicate them in protests or violence that could lead to their deportation.

Noem said Harvard would be allowed to host international students if it produces records on foreign students within 72 hours. Her request now seeks all records, including audio or video footage, of international students participating in protests or dangerous activity on campus.