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More than 75 international students met at the Cambridge Queen's Head pub on Friday evening to find solace and camaraderie after a tumultuous day. Just a day earlier, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) had revoked Harvard University's authorization to enroll international students, sparking widespread concern within the student body. The event was organized by the Dean of Students Office and the Woodbridge International Society.

The May 22 revocation led Harvard to take legal action against the Trump administration, filing a lawsuit and a temporary restraining order (TRO) on Friday morning to halt the DHS's decision. A federal judge issued the TRO less than two hours after the request, providing temporary relief amidst the uncertainty.

Despite the serious circumstances, the atmosphere at the Queen's Head pub was relatively upbeat. International students, holding pizza and water, engaged in conversations with each other and with senior College administrators, including outgoing College Dean Rakesh Khurana, his successor David J. Deming, and Dean of Students Thomas G. Dunne.

The event was announced to international students via a Thursday night email from Woodbridge, following the DHS's announcement. The Woodbridge co-presidents emphasized the goal of providing a supportive space for connecting with peers and administrators during the challenging time.

The DHS decision created considerable anxiety among international students about their academic futures and graduation prospects. In response, College administrators and House faculty deans sent messages of support to reassure students. David J. Deming, faculty dean of Kirkland House, expressed his support in a Friday morning email, underscoring the invaluable presence of international students in the community.

On Friday evening, Rakesh Khurana addressed the entire undergraduate body in an email, reaffirming the importance of international students to Harvard College. He emphasized the college’s commitment to advocating for their right to stay and stated that accurate information would be shared as soon as it was available. Khurana urged patience as the Harvard International Office (HIO) worked through a significant backlog of phone calls. He assured students that emergency support was available 24/7.

Due to the influx of calls, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) advised students to contact the HIO only for critical issues, such as those involving Border Patrol, as noted in a message from a GSAS administrator.

While spokespeople for GSAS and the University did not immediately respond to inquiries, the gathering at the Queen’s Head pub provided an essential moment of solidarity for Harvard's international students during an uncertain time.