Washington: US President Donald Trump has announced a six-month suspension on the entry of foreign students seeking to study or participate in exchange programs at Harvard University, citing national security concerns.
The proclamation, issued Wednesday, marks a significant escalation in the ongoing legal conflict between the White House and one of America’s most prestigious universities.
In his proclamation, Trump declared that allowing foreign students at Harvard was detrimental to US interests. He accused the university of developing extensive entanglements with foreign countries and alleged that it continues to flout the civil rights of its students and faculty.
The order directs the Secretary of State to consider revoking existing visas for international students currently enrolled and suspends visas for those seeking to participate in exchange programs. The suspension may be extended beyond six months.
This move follows a recent ruling by a federal judge blocking the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) attempt to ban international students at Harvard. The White House claims that Harvard failed to provide adequate information on foreign students’ known illegal or dangerous activities.
Harvard swiftly condemned the order as “yet another illegal retaliatory step taken by the administration in violation of Harvard’s First Amendment rights.”
The university is currently embroiled in multiple legal battles with the Trump administration, including disputes over frozen federal funding and accusations that Harvard failed to address antisemitism on campus.
Last month, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem revoked Harvard’s certification to enrol foreign students, a move blocked by a judge, who allowed international students to continue their studies while the legal battle unfolds.
Nonetheless, Wednesday’s proclamation has plunged thousands of foreign students into uncertainty. For the 2024-2025 academic year, nearly 7,000 international students about 27 percent of Harvard’s population were enrolled.
The announcement comes amid a broader crackdown by the Trump administration on higher education institutions, which have faced accusations of failing to address antisemitism during campus protests related to the Gaza conflict. Earlier Wednesday, the White House also threatened to revoke Columbia University’s accreditation over allegations of civil rights violations against Jewish students.
