US District Judge Allison Burroughs ruled that Harvard preserves the ability to host foreign students while the case is decided, local media reported Friday, Xinhua reported.
US Department of Homeland Security on May 22 revoked Harvard's certification in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, forcing roughly 7,000 foreign students at Harvard to transfer or risk being in the United States illegally.
Harvard sued the department, calling it illegal retaliation for its rejecting the Trump administration's demands to overhaul Harvard policies around campus protests, admissions, hiring and other issues. Burroughs temporarily halted the action hours after Harvard sued.
In early June, President Donald Trump blocked foreign students from entering the United States to attend Harvard, citing a different legal justification. Harvard challenged the move and Burroughs temporarily blocked the effort again.
Addressing conservative complaints that Harvard has become too liberal and has tolerated anti-Jewish harassment, the Trump administration has cut more than 2.6 billion US dollars in research grants for Harvard, ended federal contracts and threatened to revoke its tax-exempt status