Written by Sanskriti Shaw
The Trump administration has cancelled Harvard University’s authority to enroll international students, affecting around 788 Indian students out of 6,800 from abroad. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem claims Harvard supports “woke” ideas and hasn’t properly dealt with antisemitism, allegations that Harvard strongly denies.
“This administration is holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus. It is a privilege, not a right, for universities to enroll foreign students and benefit from their higher tuition payments to help pad their multibillion dollar endowments,” Noem said.
“We are fully committed to maintaining Harvard’s ability to host international students and scholars, who hail from more than 140 countries and enrich the University and this nation immeasurably. We are working quickly to provide guidance and support to members of our community. This retaliatory action threatens serious harm to the Harvard community and our country, and undermines Harvard’s academic and research mission,” a spokesperson of the University stated.
The cancelation has put the students in a difficult situation with many now thinking about transferring or risking losing their legal status in the US.
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Legal experts and civil rights groups have highly criticized this decision, saying it goes against academic freedom. A federal judge has obstructed the government from removing international students’ legal status without following proper legal steps.
Harvard University has promised to help its affected students by supporting them in transferring to other schools or finding legal ways to stay in the US. The university is also planning to challenge the decision in court saying this is illegal and harmful to its mission and community.
As this legal and political brawl goes on, many affected Indian students in the US are unsure about their future studies and careers. Critics are saying that these actions will weaken the US’s global leadership in education and innovation.
