A group of 21 attorneys general, including Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark, has filed an amicus brief with the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. The coalition is urging the court to uphold a preliminary injunction that blocks a proclamation by former President Donald Trump, which would have prevented international students from entering the United States to attend Harvard University.
The legal action follows a series of steps taken by the Trump Administration. On May 22, the administration revoked Harvard’s certification for its Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), effectively barring international students and academics from completing their studies at the university and potentially affecting their immigration status. Harvard responded by suing the administration, resulting in a preliminary injunction from the U.S. District Court for Massachusetts that halted enforcement of the revocation while litigation continues.
After this injunction, President Trump issued a proclamation suspending entry into the United States for any international student studying at Harvard on certain education visas. The coalition of attorneys general argues in their brief that these actions are intended to intimidate and penalize students and academic institutions for disagreeing with federal policies.
Attorney General Clark and her colleagues state that preventing international students from attending Harvard could negatively impact academic institutions across states, as well as economic prosperity and global leadership in education and scientific innovation. They highlight that during the 2024-2025 school year, states represented by the coalition hosted over 631,000 international students who supported more than 200,000 jobs and contributed about $26.8 billion annually to local economies through tuition payments, living expenses, and related spending.
The attorneys general further argue that allowing such federal actions would discourage international students and academics from coming to study or work in the United States due to concerns about sudden changes in policy leading to detention or deportation.
The coalition is asking the appellate court to affirm the district court’s order blocking what they describe as unlawful actions by the Trump Administration as legal proceedings continue.
A copy of the amicus brief can be found on Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark’s website.
