The US State Department instructed all US embassies and consulates to resume processing visas for Harvard University students and exchange visitors, following a federal judge’s temporary block of President Donald Trump’s ban on foreign students at the Ivy League school.
The State Department referenced portions of the judge's ruling in a diplomatic cable signed by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and sent on June 6, stating that the new direction was "in accordance with" the interim restraining order, reports Reuters.
US District Judge Allison Burroughs issued that order to Harvard late Thursday, preventing Trump's proclamation from going into force while the case is still being litigated.
Trump had justified his decision to exclude foreign students from entering the United States to attend Harvard by citing national security concerns.
The oldest and richest university in the country has been the target of a multifaceted campaign by the Trump administration, which has frozen billions of dollars in grants and other financing and is attempting to revoke its tax-exempt status. This has led to a number of legal challenges.
Harvard claims that because it has refused to comply with requests to control the school's curriculum, governance, and staff and student ideologies, the administration is retaliating against it.
The State Department stated it does not comment on internal correspondence in response to a request for comment.
"All other guidance regarding student visas, including enhanced social media vetting and the requirement to review the applicants' online presence, remained in effect," the State Department said in the cable.