US district judge Allison Burroughs ruled that the government can’t enforce Trump’s executive order banning the entry of Harvard’s new foreign students into the United States. The judge ruled in Harvard’s favour after it amended a May 23 lawsuit over an order from the Department of Homeland Security to stop the university from enrolling international students. Burroughs had already blocked that effort.

The temporary reprieve came as the judge ruled that Harvard would face “immediate and irreparable injury” if the proclamation went into effect. The next hearing on the case is scheduled for June 16.

Harvard University had on Wednesday called the executive order “retaliatory” and said that the school will protect its international students.

“This is yet another illegal retaliatory step taken by the Administration in violation of Harvard’s First Amendment rights. Harvard will continue to protect its international students,” said a Harvard spokesman.

The Trump administration has been critical of Harvard University for refusing to implement the US President’s agenda on campus. The foreign students’ visa ban is just the latest blow in this series of events.

Donald Trump administration’s actions against Harvard University

The feud between Harvard and the Donald Trump administration stems from the university’s refusal to submit to a series of federal government demands.

Trump has threatened to strip Harvard of its tax-exempt status and has withheld $450 million of grant money after freezing more than $2.2 billion in funding. The administration has also cancelled federal contracts that Harvard held.

The row escalated recently when the Department of Homeland Security said that Harvard University refused to provide records related to misconduct by foreign students. The department even banned the school from taking in foreign students, an order that judge Allison Burroughs blocked earlier.

Get the latest headlines from and global updates from Pakistan, UK, Bangladesh, and Russia get all the latest headlines in one place on Hindustan Times.