Washington (AP) – President Donald Trump is taking steps to prohibit nearly all foreign students from entering the country to study at Harvard University, In a latest move aimed at constraining Ivy League institutions that rely on a significant portion of their student body from international sources.
In an executive order signed on Wednesday, Trump claimed that allowing foreign students at Harvard’s Cambridge, Massachusetts campus posed a risk to national security.
“I have concluded that the entry of the aforementioned foreign cohort is adverse to the interests of the United States, as I believe Harvard’s actions have made it an unsuitable destination for foreign students and researchers,” Trump stated in his order.
This marks an escalation in the ongoing conflict between the White House and the nation’s oldest and wealthiest universities. The federal court in Boston Previously blocked the Department of Homeland Security’s ban on international students at Harvard. Trump’s new directives invoke a different legal mechanism.
Colin Binkley has been covering Harvard University for nearly ten years, mostly living just half a mile from the campus.
Trump has utilized broad federal authority that allows the president to deny entry to foreigners deemed “detrimental to the interests of the United States.” He referred to this authority on Wednesday when he announced restrictions on citizens from 12 countries who have been banned from visiting the US, while another seven will face additional limitations. Trump’s order regarding Harvard references various other laws, including provisions barring individuals connected to terrorist organizations.
In a statement released on Wednesday night, Harvard affirmed its commitment to “continuing to protect international students.”
“This represents yet another illegal and retaliatory action by the administration that violates Harvard’s First Amendment rights,” remarked a university official.
This situation stems from Harvard’s refusal to comply with several federal requests, escalating after the Department of Homeland Security contended that the university had not provided adequate records regarding international student misconduct.
Harvard maintains that it is complying with these requests, but the government alleges the response has been insufficient.
The tensions have been mounting for months, as the Trump administration has pushed for various policy changes at Harvard, criticizing it as a breeding ground for liberal ideology and accusing it of harboring anti-Semitic harassment. Harvard defied the demands that it claims undermine institutional autonomy and threaten the freedom of all U.S. universities.
Trump’s administration has exerted significant pressure on Harvard, threatening over $2.6 billion in research grants and attempting to terminate all federal contracts with the institution. The latest directive impacts approximately 7,000 international students at Harvard, which represents half of the university’s graduate school enrollment.
“Gaining entry to the U.S. for education at a prestigious American university is a privilege, not a right,” commented Attorney General Pam Bondy in a post on X.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash, denounced the measure as ludicrous and argued that it is unrelated to national security.
“This is a thinly veiled act of vengeance in Trump’s personal dispute with Harvard, continuing his authoritarian attack on free speech,” Jayapal stated on the social media platform X.
This order applies to all students seeking to enter the United States for studies at Harvard after the executive order’s issuance date. Federal officials have indicated that students may find exceptions if their entry serves “the national interest.”
Trump’s directive alleges that Harvard provided data on only three students regarding fraud in response to homeland security inquiries and lacks sufficient detail to assess whether a federal lawsuit is warranted. Trump concluded that Harvard “does not fully report disciplinary records for foreign students, nor has it taken adequate measures against foreign student misconduct.”
“These actions and inactions directly impair the federal government’s ability to ensure compliance with federal law by foreigners granted student or exchange visitor visas,” the order asserted.
For foreign students currently at Harvard, Trump indicated that Secretary of State Marco Rubio will make decisions regarding their visa status.
The orders are anticipated to remain in effect for six months, with a review planned within 90 days to determine potential renewal, as stated in the directive.
Last week, a cable from the State Department directed to a U.S. embassy indicated that federal officials would Initiate a review of social media activities of visa applicants attending, working, or planning to visit Harvard for indications of anti-Semitism.
In a court filing last week, Harvard officials claimed that the Trump administration’s efforts to stop the enrollment of international students had generated an atmosphere of “deep fear, concern, and confusion.” Harvard Immigration Director Maureen Martin noted in her submission that numerous international students have inquired about transferring away from the university.
Phoenix Associated Press Writer Cheyanne Mumphrey contributed to this report.
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Source: apnews.com