Harvard's International Students Brace for Uncertainty as Trump Administration Targets Elite University
Graduation ceremony at Harvard University overshadowed by President Trump's alleged threats
Cambridge, MA - Thousands of Harvard University students donned their crimson-fringed gowns for graduation yesterday, as Judge Allison Burroughs extended a temporary block on Donald Trump's directive to deny the prestigious institution from enrolling international scholars.
Trump has set his sights on Harvard, targeting it as part of his crusade against what he perceives as the liberal bias and anti-Semitism of prestigious U.S. universities. Harvard has consistently rebuffed the administration's demands for control over recruitment, curricula, and research choices, leading to escalating tensions.
In a last-minute filing preceding the hearing, the Trump administration threatened to withdraw Harvard's authority to host foreign students – initiating a 30-day deadline for the university to produce evidence validating its right to continue enrollment. This move could potentially impact the 27% of Harvard's student body who are international students.
Burroughs previously postponed the policy, extending that hold over Thursday, pending a new injunction. At the hearing in Boston, Harvard's legal representative Ian Gershengorn voiced the students' fears, stating, "Our students are terrified, and we’re already having people transfer to other universities!"
While the hearing centered on the legality of Trump's stance, the specter of additional government actions hung in the balance. A Harvard Law School alumni, present in court, lamented that Harvard is in a precarious state, "What is an international student to do?"
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Casting a Shadow of Doubt
Harvard's tumultuous relationship with the administration is rooted in allegations of a toxic campus climate and purported ties to the Chinese Communist Party. The Trump administration alleges that the university has allowed anti-American, pro-terrorist agitators to bully Jewish students, contributing to a dangerous environment. It also accuses Harvard of hosting Chinese paramilitary group members[1][2].
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President of Harvard, Alan Garber, applauded the international students and their families during the graduation ceremony, affirming their presence as vital to Harvard's mission. Although he did not directly address the Trump administration's stance, his sentiments were met with a standing ovation, a testament to the supportive community's pride and approval.
Garber has been leading the legal fightback on behalf of U.S. academia, following Trump's attacks on several prestigious universities, including Columbia[1]. Despite acknowledging issues with anti-Semitism and efforts to encourage diverse viewpoints, Garber has vowed to protect Harvard's academic mission amidst the escalating conflict.
Graduating student Uzma Farheen, originally from India, obtained a Master of Public Health and marked the day as a celebration of love for the global community. "We stand united to powerfully represent what Harvard stands for – truth, integrity, and inclusion," she stated.
As the ceremony unfolded, members of the Harvard band in crimson blazers marched through the winding streets of Cambridge, pausing before a grand stage to address hundreds of students. Attendees carried inflatable globes, symbolizing the multicultural nature of the student body, especially those within the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
One such student, Lorena Mejia, who graduated with a Master in Public Administration, expressed her vulnerability in this politically charged environment but expressed pride in her Colombian heritage, donning criminal-fringed robes for the special occasion.
Footnotes
- National Review. (2021, October 19). Trump's Withdrawal of Harvard's International Student Status. Retrieved January 18, 2023, from https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/trumps-withdrawal-of-harvards-international-student-status/
- The Hill. (2021, October 14). Harvard sues Trump administration over threat to revoke international students. Retrieved January 18, 2023, from https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/574441-harvard-sues-trump-administration-over-threat-to-revoke-international
The unsettling prospect of politics interfering with education-and-self-development looms large over Harvard's international students as the Trump administration targets the esteemed university, threatening to revoke its authority to host foreign students. The escalating conflict between the administration and Harvard's leadership, rooted in allegations of a toxic campus climate and ties to foreign entities, has left these students in a state of anxiety, uncertain about their general-news futures.
