'Unlawful and unwarranted': Harvard sues Trump administration over ban on enrolling foreign students

Harvard University on Friday said it has challenged the Trump administration’s decision to bar it from enrolling foreign students, calling it "unconstitutional retaliation" for defying the White House’s political demands.

In a lawsuit filed in federal court in Boston, the Harvard said the government’s action violates the First Amendment and will have an “immediate and devastating effect for Harvard and more than 7,000 visa holders.”

“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 its suit.

"We condemn this unlawful and unwarranted action. 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. We have just filed a complaint, and a motion for a temporary restraining order will follow," read a part of the statement issued by the university.

The school said it plans to file for a temporary restraining order to block the Department of Homeland Security from carrying out the move.

Harvard enrolls almost 6,800 foreign students at its campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Most are graduate students and they come from more than 100 countries.

This escalation marks the latest flashpoint in growing tensions between elite academic institutions and the federal government, which critics say is increasingly targeting campuses over ideological disputes.

The suit filed by Harvard is separate from the university’s earlier one challenging more than $2 billion in federal cuts imposed by the Republican administration.

The loss of foreign nationals -- more than a quarter of its student body -- could prove costly to Harvard, which charges tens of thousands of dollars a year in tuition.

Chinese students make up more than a fifth of Harvard's international enrollment, according to university figures, and Beijing said the decision will "only harm the image and international standing of the United States."

(With inputs from agencies)