Attorney General Kwame Raoul has joined a coalition of 21 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit. The brief urges the court to uphold a preliminary injunction that blocks a proclamation by former President Trump, which sought to ban international students from entering the United States if they planned to attend Harvard University.
President Trump issued this proclamation after an earlier district court decision blocked his attempt to terminate Harvard’s ability to enroll, educate, and employ international students through the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP).
“Welcoming international students to our colleges and universities creates a more enriching educational environment for all students,” Raoul said. “I join my fellow attorneys general in opposing this unlawful action targeting Harvard over students and faculty voicing their political opposition to this administration. I will continue to stand up against the president’s illegal attempts to punish free speech and harm those who disagree with him.”
On May 22, the Trump administration notified Harvard that its SEVP certification had been revoked effective immediately. This action would have prevented international students and academics from completing their studies at Harvard and could have stripped them of their lawful immigration status. After Harvard filed suit against these efforts, the district court granted a preliminary injunction halting the administration’s actions while litigation continues. The administration then issued a broader proclamation suspending entry into the United States for any international student attending Harvard on certain education visas.
In their brief, Raoul and other attorneys general argue that banning international students from attending Harvard is an effort by the federal government to intimidate and penalize those expressing disagreement with its policies. They ask the court to consider how allowing such actions could send a message worldwide that studying or working in the United States carries risks of sudden disruption or deportation at government discretion.
The coalition also contends that excluding international students would harm academic institutions, state economies, and U.S. leadership in education and scientific innovation nationwide—not just at Harvard. During the 2024-2025 school year alone, states represented by this coalition hosted more than 631,000 international students who supported over 200,000 jobs and contributed about $26.8 billion annually through tuition payments, living expenses, and related spending.
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Raoul was joined in submitting this amicus brief by attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island,Vermont,and Washington.