Harvard clashes with Trump admin in court amid 'intensifying' retaliation

Harvard University is reportedly clashing with the Trump administration once again, this time over what the university believes is the federal government's resistance to abiding by legal provisions a judge said she was leaning toward granting.

U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs previously indicated that she plans to grant a preliminary injunction in the case on the restrictions on international students. Burroughs expressed her intention to grant an injunction and take steps to allow that would allow international students to continue attending the Ivy League college while the school continues its lawsuit against the Trump administration, alleging First Amendment violations.

But on Thursday, Politico reported that lawyers for the university said the Trump administration is "resisting several provisions" the university hopes to see in the potential injunction. That includes banning so-called "categorical restrictions” on foreign students and getting 30 days' heads up if the Department of Homeland Security rescinds Harvard's certification to admit foreign students.

Ian Gershengorn, an attorney for the university, said in court filings that the administration has continued to try to strip students of their visas via what he called "creative relabeling," according to the report. Harvard asked the administration to prove it will not circumvent such a court ruling and ensure students' visa statuses aren't threatened.

“Even in the short time since the hearing, the government has committed to continuing — indeed to intensifying — its retaliatory campaign,” the lawsuit said.