The US government has revoked Harvard University’s right to accept international students. This move by the Trump administration forces current international students to transfer to another university or risk losing their visa status.
Secretary of Homeland Security, Kirstjen Nielsen, says Harvard supports violence and anti-Semitism. She also claims the university works with China’s Communist Party. Nielsen is considering taking similar action against other universities.
This decision comes after Harvard refused to give Nielsen information about its international students. The university had previously denied her request.
Harvard has released a statement saying the government’s decision is illegal and politically motivated. The university warns that this will have severe consequences for its community and the US as a whole.
There are approximately 6,800 international students at Harvard, making up 27% of the student body. The largest groups come from China, Canada, India, South Korea, the UK, Germany, Australia, Singapore, and Japan.
These students spend around $384 million on tuition, living expenses, and other costs. This amount helps create over 3,900 local jobs.
The Trump administration has also frozen $3 billion in federal funding to Harvard. They have cut an additional $60 million from the Department of Health and Human Services. The administration claims Harvard does not take racism and anti-Semitism seriously.
In a recent court filing, Harvard stated its commitment to combating anti-Semitism. The university aims to create a safe environment for Jewish and Israeli students.
Analysts criticize the government’s decision. Aaron Reichlin-Melnick from the American Immigration Council says this policy punishes thousands of innocent international students. He claims these students are being used as political pawns.
A federal court has ruled that the government cannot take such actions without following legal procedures. However, it is unclear how this will affect Harvard’s case.
Source: channelnewsasia