Yale University Joins 47 US Institutions in Legal Support for Harvard's International Student Visa Program
In a significant show of solidarity, Yale University has united with 47 other colleges and universities across the United States to file a legal brief supporting Harvard University in a federal appeals case concerning international student visas. The institutions submitted an amicus curiae brief on January 19 to the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, urging judges to maintain an injunction that permits Harvard to continue enrolling foreign students while litigation is ongoing.
Universities Argue That International Student Visas Underpin US Research Strength
According to reports from Yale News, the brief emphasizes that attracting the best and brightest from all over the world has long been a competitive advantage for the United States. The filing contends that Congress has consistently maintained pathways for global students to pursue higher education in the US, enabling institutions to evolve into world-class research centers capable of addressing major international challenges.
The brief highlights that these students have gone on to cure diseases and invent transformational technologies, underscoring their critical contributions to scientific and medical advancements. It argues that the presence of international talent is essential for maintaining the US's leadership in innovation and research.
Lawsuit Originates from Department of Homeland Security Action
The legal dispute began in May 2025 when Harvard University initiated a lawsuit after the Department of Homeland Security withdrew the university's certification to host international students. This action led a federal district judge to issue a preliminary injunction, preserving Harvard's student visa program while the case proceeds. The federal government subsequently appealed this ruling.
The new brief calls on the appeals court to affirm the injunction, warning that canceling an institution's visa program results in immediate and lasting harm. Yale News reported that the brief cites disrupted clinical trials, stalled research projects, derailed scientific careers, and emerging labor shortages as direct consequences of such cancellations.
Broader Impact on Science and the US Economy Highlighted
The filing also cautions against a nationwide chilling effect, suggesting that uncertainty surrounding visas could drive talented students to pursue their studies in other countries. For the American public, the destabilization of student visa programs via arbitrary cancellations threatens to stymie progress in scientific research, medical advancement, and technological innovation, the brief states, as cited by Yale News.
The brief notes that individuals born outside the US accounted for 40% of US-based Nobel laureates in physics, chemistry, and medicine from 2000 to 2023. It links foreign-born scientists to key advances, including:
- The development of the internet
- The mapping of the human genome
- Vaccines for polio and Covid-19
- Computer chips powering the AI revolution
Economic and Medical Consequences of Visa Cancellations Emphasized
Yale News cited that foreign-born founders have played pivotal roles in companies such as Google, Nvidia, and Tesla, which together are valued at over $8 trillion and employ more than 300,000 people. Beyond research disruption, the brief argues that canceling visa programs would exacerbate physician shortages and weaken US competitiveness in science, technology, and medicine.
The brief asserts that Congress designed immigration laws to attract global talent, and in return, these students have delivered innovations, technology, and lifesaving research while enriching educational experiences across campuses. This legal support from Yale and other institutions underscores the critical role of international students in sustaining the US's economic and scientific leadership.
