Judge Slaps Down Trump’s Latest Attack On Harvard
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Donald Trump faced yet another loss in court on Friday, this one related to his continued attempts to find ways to punish Harvard for defying his attempts to get them to bow to his will. He is FURIOUS. This time he tried to block them from accepting any international students. A federal judge has temporarily blocked the ban within hours of Harvard filing the lawsuit, stating in the court order that this move by the Trump administration was “clear retaliation” for its refusal of the government’s ideologically rooted policy demands.
The judge that issued this ruling, Burroughs is the same judge who is overseeing a second lawsuit by Harvard against the Trump administration related to their freezing of $2.65 billion in federal funding.
CNN reports that the decision to bar international students violates the law, staying in their filing: “It is the latest act by the government in clear retaliation for Harvard exercising its First Amendment rights to reject the government’s demands to control Harvard’s governance, curriculum, and the ‘ideology’ of its faculty and students.”
The judge agreed, saying in her order that Harvard had demonstrated that “it will sustain immediate and irreparable injury” if the Trump administration revoked the school’s certification before the court could consider the matter. A further hearing is scheduled for Tuesday on this matter. Just two days later the judge is set to hear arguments as to whether the court should issue a preliminary injunction, which would block the administration’s action until a final decision is made in the lawsuit.
A quarter of Harvard’s student body is comprised of international students, which pay full freight for their tuition and bring a wealth of knowledge and skills that greatly enhance both Harvard itself and America as a whole.
In addition to trying to block international students and federal funding, Trump has ordered the IRS to rescind Harvard’s tax-exempt status.
Donald Trump has done one thing – made Harvard University the hero of this story and united large swaths of people, many of which could never get into – or afford to go to – Harvard. But we know who the bad guy is and who the good guy is in this story.
Go Harvard!