The school has won reprieves in court — at least temporarily — but advocates fear that any such wins may be Pyrrhic victories , as the uncertainty bred by rapidly changing policies will chase international students away almost as effectively as a ban.

The department’s latest instructions cap off a week in which President Trump attempts to ratchet up his assault on the college was temporarily thwarted by the courts. Trump has sought to bend Harvard, arguably the country’s most prestigious and well-heeled university, to his will, as the president and his conservative allies look to force colleges to change policies around racial diversity in hiring, responses to reports of antisemitism, and ideological diversity in its professorial ranks.

The State Department has instructed US consulates around the world to resume processing student visa applications for potential Harvard University students , according to a report published Saturday.

“I don’t think anyone who’s overseas studying in America is feeling secure at this point,” said Boston-based immigration attorney Annelise Araujo. “If I’m a student, I’m thinking twice about whether I want to go through this.”

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On Wednesday, Trump dramatically escalated his attempts to punish the university when he announced a directive to deny visas to all students seeking entry to the country to attend Harvard. The next day, his State Department sent a cable to that effect to all consulates, according to The Washington Post.

Also on Thursday, Harvard filed an opposition in court to Trump’s move and, late that night, won a temporary stay from a federal judge in Boston, preventing the president from moving ahead with his plan.

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Then came Friday night’s cable, rescinding the one sent out Thursday, according to the Post.

The news organization reported that the latest cable, sent at 7:55 p.m., said the consulates “must resume processing of Harvard University student and exchange visitor visas.”

On Saturday, Harvard and the State Department both declined to comment or confirm the Post’s reporting.

“It’s a step in the right direction,” Araujo told the Globe of the news about the latest cable. “I don’t think students should be a pawn between the administration and Harvard.”

Still, Araujo and others who work with international students say uncertainty and negative headlines are sowing uncertainty and worry among foreigners considering studying in the United States, leading many to consider continuing their studies elsewhere.

Both Harvard and the Trump administration are next due in court on June 16 as the legal battle moves ahead.

Dan Berger, an immigration attorney from Northampton who works with colleges and people seeking student visas, said the constant changes in policy cause as much concern as anything.

“I’m sure this will impact the number of foreign students,” he said. “If the goal is to discourage people from coming to the US to study, that’s probably what’s going to happen.”

Globe staff reporter Brooke Hauser contributed.

Sean Cotter can be reached at sean.cotter@globe.com. Follow him @cotterreporter.