It is “well within the President’s constitutional and statutory authority to govern the immigration and foreign affairs of the nation,” government lawyers wrote. “That should be the end of this case.” They also urged the court to reject Harvard’s claims that Trump’s order is discriminatory, violates the First Amendment, and would cause the university “irreparable harm” if enacted. International students make up more than 27 percent of Harvard’s total enrollment. Trump has repeatedly targeted the elite university since returning to the White House in January by slashing billions in federal research funding and demanding the school submit to federal oversight. Trump’s actions at Harvard and other elite schools are part of a larger effort to remake the higher education system, which he perceives to be a bastion of leftist bias, antisemitism, and discrimination against white people and men. The hearing is set to begin Monday at 10:30 a.m. before US District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs, who granted Harvard’s initial request for temporary protection. If Harvard’s latest request is granted, the order would extend temporary protections preserving the status quo that were enacted last Thursday. The legal fight over international students began last month when Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem revoked Harvard‘s participation in the Student and Exchange Visa Program , the federal system that enables colleges and universities to enroll or hire people with special education visas. Harvard challenged the revocation in court and was granted temporary protections, but then Trump shifted tactics. On June 4, he imposed a six-month ban on letting student visa holders entering the country to study at Harvard , citing his authority to implement such restrictions based on national security concerns. Trump also directed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to review the status of current international students on a case-by-case basis to determine whether their visas should be revoked. On Friday, Maureen Martin, who directs immigration services for the Harvard International Office, described the toll of Trump’s actions on visa holders who planned to study or work at the university. In a court filing, Martin said an engineering scholar from China and another visa holder from India were turned back at Logan International Airport on June 5 and 6 because of Trump’s proclamation. After the court blocked implementation of the order, the Washington Post reported that consulates had been ordered to resume processing visa applications , yet Harvard-bound students and researchers continued to face obstacles, Martin said. A visa appointment for a visiting professor in Israel was canceled and an unidentified consulate refused to issue a visa to the chief executive of an executive education program affiliated with Harvard Medical School, Martin wrote. After the visa denial, the program canceled its partnership with the school, she said.
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