Trump Blocks Foreign Students from Studying at Harvard University

President Donald Trump has signed a new executive order that will prevent nearly all foreign students from entering the United States to study at Harvard University. The move has significant implications for Harvard’s international student population, which comprises around a quarter of its students. Trump said the decision was needed to protect national security, saying the university’s actions mean it is not an appropriate place for foreign students and researchers to go.

Invoking national interest, the order relies on sweeping legal authority that allows the president to deny entry to foreign nationals he deems harmful to the country. That comes on the heels of a federal court decision this week that barred the Department of Homeland Security from blocking foreign students at Harvard, which forced the administration to pull out a different set of legal tools.

Trump also announced on the same day a ban on visitors from 12 countries and restrictions on those from seven additional nations.

Response; Continuing dispute with Harvard
Harvard pushed back by saying it continues to support its international students, and that the order represents an unlawful retaliation that infringes the university’s First Amendment rights. The tensions are part of a broader standoff between the administration and Harvard over policy and governance requests.

The tensions started months back when the administration alleged that Harvard is politically biased and is allowing anti-Jewish harassment. Homeland Security later accused the university of not handing over full records related to foreign students’ misconduct. Harvard maintains that it did provide the information that was requested, although federal officials said the response was insufficient.

Broader implications for Harvard’s global role
This latest executive action adds to other punitive moves. The government has already cut over $2.6 billion in research funding, and is trying to cancel all federal contracts with the university. The ban on foreign students applies to approximately 7,000 students immediately, according to Harvard, including half the students at some Harvard graduate programs.

Harvard says the administration’s move could endanger academic freedom and the independence of all universities in the United States. The university promises to remain dedicated to protecting its values and ensuring that its students will continue to be a reflection of the diverse community.