The Trump administration showed another display of authoritarianism by announcing on Thursday that it is banning Harvard University from enrolling foreign students, alleging that it “promotes violence, antisemitism, and coordination with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) on its campus.”
The decision of the current government of the United States is a new escalation against the most traditional universities in the northeast of the country, which it demands adopt its agenda on various issues, from values to politics.
What was Trump’s determination against Harvard?
“It is a privilege, not a right, for universities to admit foreign students and benefit from their higher tuition fees to help bolster their multi-million dollar endowments. Harvard had many opportunities to do the right thing. It refused,” announced the United States Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, through her profile on the social network X.
“Harvard can no longer admit foreign students and current foreign students must transfer or they will lose their legal status”, says part of the letter from Noem to Maureen Martin, director of immigration services at Harvard.
The Trump administration is demanding that Harvard provide information on possible crimes committed by the university’s foreign students.
A few days ago, Noem made headlines in a congressional hearing when asked what habeas corpus was, and she mistakenly said it was “the president’s constitutional right to deport people.” Habeas corpus is actually the right of every person to challenge illegal or arbitrary detentions.
What was Harvard’s response to the decision made by the Trump administration?
The university quickly condemned the measure and labeled it as “illegal” in a statement issued on Thursday. The institution added that it is “fully committed to maintaining Harvard’s ability to host international students and scholars from more than 140 countries, who greatly enrich the University and this nation.”
“We are working quickly to provide guidance and support to members of our community. This retaliation threatens to cause serious harm to the Harvard community and our country, and undermines Harvard’s academic and research mission,” said university spokesperson Jason Newton.
Harvard University, located in Cambridge, a suburb of Boston, has around 7,000 foreign students, representing 27% of its enrollment.
In April, Trump threatened to cut over 2 billion dollars in funding for Harvard, but unlike Columbia’s capitulation, the university decided to go to court.