In a major victory for Harvard University, a judge upheld a decision on Friday that blocks US President Donald Trump’s order barring international students from enrolling.
The Trump administration in May attempted to block Harvard’s ability to enrol international students following a series of disagreements revolving around university autonomy.
If the move by Mr Trump were successful, it would have been a significant blow to Harvard, with most estimates showing that about 25 per cent of the university’s students coming from outside the US.
Harvard has become a major target for Mr Trump, who has accused several universities of promoting liberal bias and anti-Semitism, with much of the tension between the administration and institutions rooted in the widespread pro-Palestine campus protests that erupted in the spring of last year.
The White House has sought in particular to crack down on foreign students demonstrating in support of Palestine, and has also demanded that universities make changes to various policies that would bring them more in line with the administration’s agenda.
At the request of Mr Trump, later in May, the State Department rolled out a pilot programme directing US consulates and embassies to engage in “additional vetting” of social media accounts of international Harvard applicants seeking visas.
The new policy targets students, professors and employees, as well as guest speakers at Harvard.
Harvard has repeatedly objected to the various moves aimed at controlling university policy, but the Trump administration has shown no signs of backing down.
The White House has also previously said that it intends on revoking Harvard’s tax-exempt status.
“The government has long exempted universities from taxes in order to support their educational mission,” a Harvard representative said in May.
“The tax exemption means that more of every dollar can go towards scholarships for students, life-saving and life-enhancing medical research, and technological advancements that drive economic growth.”