Washington, May 23 (HS): The Trump administration has revoked Harvard University’s eligibility to admit international students, leaving the institution in shock and facing serious consequences for refusing to comply with the administration’s demands. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security declared that Harvard must cease admitting foreign students, while current international students risk losing their legal status unless they transfer. This action follows Harvard’s refusal to share records of foreign students’ conduct, leading to accusations from the administration of harboring anti-American sentiment on campus. The White House claimed that the enrollment of foreign students is a privilege that Harvard has failed to uphold, citing protests against the Israel-Hamas war as evidence of the university’s ideological misalignment.

Harvard professors argue that this conflict threatens the institution’s academic integrity and risk a mass exodus of foreign students. In response, Harvard has criticized the administration’s decision as unlawful and stated its commitment to welcoming students from over 140 countries. University spokesperson Jason Newton highlighted that the retaliatory measures could significantly harm the Harvard community and, by extension, the United States. With nearly 10,000 international students currently enrolled and the expectation of 6,793 more for the upcoming academic year, the university emphasizes the importance of maintaining its academic freedom in the face of perceived government overreach. The ongoing struggle underscores the tension between the university’s commitment to diverse perspectives and the administration’s push for adherence to its policies.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar