Harvard Community Protests Trump’s Policy on International Students
Harvard University students, professors and supporters protested President Donald Trump’s policies regarding the university and its international students.
President Donald Trump has revoked Harvard’s permission to host incoming international students, the latest escalation in the ongoing battle between the White House and the country’s oldest university.
In an executive order issued on June 4th, Trump declared that hospitalizations of Harvard international students pose a threat to the United States. Homeland Security Secretary Christie Noem had previously threatened to suspend Harvard’s international programs, but a federal judge temporarily prevented her from following.
With his new order, Trump listed a string of complaints against the university. He accused it of failing to protect Jewish students from pro-Palestinian protesters. He also noted that Harvard has long used races as a factor in enrollment, saying that in 2023 the Supreme Court began to break down race-based admissions policies across the country.
“It is not in the US’s interest to further exacerbate Harvard’s discrimination against non-preferred lace, national origin, shared ancestry, or religion. “In light of these facts, I have determined that it is necessary to limit the entry of foreigners who are trying to participate in research courses at Harvard or in exchange visitor programs sponsored by Harvard University, or primarily seeking to participate in the United States.”
The White House repeatedly clashed with Harvard University, refusing to reject information about student protesters and requests for external reviews of classes and instructors.
Over 25% of Harvard’s total student population is international students, with approximately 6,800 students from around 140 counties enrolling this grade. Trump’s order applies to new students arriving to study at Harvard University, asking Secretary of State Marco Rubio to consider whether to cancel the visa for current international students.
“In my opinion, Harvard’s actions made it an inappropriate destination for international students and researchers,” Trump said.
There are approximately 1.2 million international students in the United States. The two largest home countries are India and China, according to federal records.
