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Harvard President Alan M. Garber ’76 vowed to defend the University’s international students in an interview Friday morning after the Department of Homeland Security moved to revoke Harvard’s ability to enroll them.

Garber’s remarks — delivered just hours after Harvard filed a federal lawsuit and shortly before a judge granted a temporary restraining order against the order — reaffirmed the University’s commitment to its more than 7,000 international students and emphasized the critical role they play in shaping Harvard’s academic life and global identity.

“We are thinking about many different options to deal with this ruling from the administration,” he said. “Under no circumstances will we abandon our international students.”

Garber had publicly defended Harvard’s international students in a University-wide message earlier that morning. But in the interview — his first with The Crimson since December 2024 — he struck a more personal tone, reflecting on individual students and the value they brought to campus.

He cited a student he taught in a freshman seminar on healthcare reform and policy as an example of the contributions students from abroad add to Harvard’s academic mandate.

“This morning, I heard from a student from my freshman seminar, who is graduating this year, who’s from an Asian country,” he said. “This student introduced a lot of insight into her country’s health care system and how it’s financed, and enriched the discussion.”

Garber added that this was just one instance of the benefits international students bring to Harvard, calling them “extraordinarily valuable to our community.”

His comments came amid a standoff between the DHS and Harvard over allegations of campus antisemitism and race-based discrimination. In April, the DHS demanded that Harvard turn over documents regarding the disciplinary records and protest participation of its international students — or be prepared to lose them.

But the DHS decided Harvard’s submissions were “insufficient,” following through on its April threat and snowballing a tug-of-war over a records request into a high-stakes legal and political battle over the future of the University’s international students.

Garber declined to comment on what documents Harvard had given to the DHS, but told affiliates in his morning message that the University had provided information “required by law.”

A federal judge granted Harvard a TRO on Friday, blocking the DHS from enforcing the directive for the next 10 to 14 days. And while Harvard’s motion for an injunction that would extend the stay has yet to be granted, Garber was unequivocal on Friday in his defense of international students.

“They are a vital component for our community,” he said. “They are extremely important for so many reasons, but mostly because they bring additional perspectives to campus.”

While the TRO temporarily protects Harvard’s ability to enroll international students, the ruling is only the first step in what could be a protracted legal battle. If the court ultimately sides with DHS, thousands of Harvard’s students could be forced to leave the United States. If it does not, the administration is expected to appeal the decision.

In its Friday lawsuit, Harvard argued that the revocation of its SEVP status was in violation of the First Amendment, infringing on the University’s academic freedom and retaliating against Harvard for defending its academic freedom.

The fight seems to be expanding, not abating, so far. Over the weekend, Donald Trump stepped up his attacks on Harvard’s international students, describing them as “radicalized lunatics” and “troublemakers,” and Secretary of State Marco Rubio directed embassies and consulates to pause scheduling student and exchange visa interviews.

A hearing for Harvard’s case is scheduled for May 27. A federal judge will also evaluate whether to grant a preliminary injunction on May 29.

—Staff writer Dhruv T. Patel can be reached at dhruv.patel@thecrimson.com. Follow him on X @dhruvtkpatel.

—Staff writer Grace E. Yoon can be reached at grace.yoon@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X @graceunkyoon.