Donald Trump suspends visas for new foreign students at Harvard University

New Delhi (India) June 5: US President Donald Trump declared that international students who are about to start attending Harvard University would no longer be granted visas. According to reports, the decision was made public on Wednesday, increasing the attack on higher education by his administration.

Trump stressed that the new foreign students must not be allowed to enter the country "solely or principally" to enrol in classes at Harvard University.

He said, "I have determined that it is necessary to restrict the entry of foreign nationals who seek to enter the United States solely or principally to participate in a course of study at Harvard University or in an exchange visitor program hosted by Harvard University."

The directive comes as the Trump administration continues its efforts to target Harvard and other universities. The court overturned the Republican's earlier ban on international students' entry to the university.

Harvard University declared the presidential order to be "retaliatory" and promised to defend its foreign students.

An official from Harvard said, “This is yet another illegal retaliatory step taken by the Administration in violation of Harvard's First Amendment rights. Harvard will continue to protect its international students."

Last week, a Boston federal court stopped the Department of Homeland Security from preventing foreign students from attending Harvard. Trump has used a different legal authority in his new order.

Harvard's failure to comply with a number of federal government demands is the root of the ongoing dispute. The matter recently became more heated after the Department of Homeland Security said Harvard had refused to produce documents related to misbehaviour by international students.

The US Department of State has directed US consulates to mandate all visa applicants who intend to attend Harvard to go through extra screening processes in the last month.

The institution has been under fire from the US president for not protecting Jewish students on campus after the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Harvard has also retaliated by continuing its lawsuit against the Trump administration, claiming that the school's independence is in danger due to "unconstitutional demands" and the suspension of government funding.

The action is a part of broader efforts by Republican lawmakers and Trump to hold elite universities responsible. These acts are criticised for being politically motivated and for threatening academic freedom.

Aadrika Tayal