Two American elite universities are suing immigration services for deciding to revoke the visas of foreign students whose courses run entirely online.
Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have filed lawsuits against Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Harvard President Lawrence Baco says the "cruelty" of visa removal [just overcame his recklessness ".
Many colleges are offering online courses in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.
Harvard announced Monday that all classes will be held online in the fall, with only 40% of graduates on campus.
The decision was made shortly after the federal law enforcement agency ICE on Homeland Security said students could face emigration without following any institution in private education.
On Tuesday, President Donald Trump called the Harvard attack "ridiculous." He was adamant that study in the United States should be normal during the autumn.
On Twitter on Wednesday, he threatened funding if schools were not reopened:
What happened to the two universities?
It was filed in Boston District Court on Wednesday morning, Harvard student newspaper Harvard Crimson reported, seeking a temporary restraining order against the visa decision and release from initial and permanent restraining order.
Read the court papers here
The lawsuit argues that the ICC's move "disrupted Harvard and MIT - in fact, all systems of higher education in the United States."
It said the ICE's move "went ahead without any indication of the health of students, faculty, university staff or the community" and left "millions of international students with no educational options in the United States".
Mr Beko said: "We believe the ICC order is bad public policy, and we believe it is illegal."
What does it mean to remove a visa?
The Student and Exchange Visitor Program, run by ICE, introduced a temporary waiver to allow students who graduated online in the spring and summer semesters to stay in the United States.
However, the discount will not be extended in the new academic year.
The decision affects students on F-1 and M-1 visas in the United States, according to an ICC statement.
According to the Higher Education Chronicle, 9% of universities in the United States plan to teach all their classes online in the fall, although that may change next month.
Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren described the ICE's move as "ignorant, cruel and xenophobic."
But President Trump commented on his online move at Harvard: "I think it's ridiculous, I think it's the easy way out and I think they'll be ashamed of themselves."
He added: "It's so important that kids at this age, especially if they're together, stay together on campus and we're trying to do that."
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