The battle of the President of the United States Donald Trump against the University of Harvard He continues: on May 22, the Trump administration prohibited access to the prestigious Boston college for international students, specifying that all foreigners currently registered (the 27% of the total) will be forced to move or will risk losing their legal status And the visa to stay inside the country. The university responded to the measure calling it “illegitimate”.
Specifically, the Trump administration has revoked the University of certification of the program for foreign students and visitors, blocking this registration For anyone who comes outside the United States. The decision, in reality, is only the umpteenth episode of a arm wrestling Started several months ago after the University has rejected some requests from the Trump administration regarding its campaign against anti -Semitism, refusing to modify its policies relating to the rights of students and to procedures of hiring and admission and choosing not to deliver detailed documents on the international student body potentially involved in “illegal or dangerous” activities.
Following Harvard’s position, in recent weeks the federal government has then ordered the freezing about 2.2 billion dollars in multi -year subsidies and of 60 million of dollars in multi -year contracts, forcing the institution to stop some programs or to downsize their scope. These cuts are added to the recent deprivations of funds established by the Trump Administration against various American scientific institutions.
Numerous voices of criticism, both national and international, also raised the provision, including China, whose spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mao Ning condemned “the decision of the US President Donald Trump on the announcement against foreign students at the University of Havard, called a movement of education politicization”.
Because Trump chose to lash out against Harvard: the origins of the clash
But why is President Trump throwing himself against Harvard? The tensionsin reality, they already date back to 2024, when Harvard was at the center of some protests pro-Palestineduring which there were episodes of intimidation against some Jewish students with anti -Semitic slogans, which led to the resignation of the then president of the University, Claudine Gay. With his return to the White House, Trump then intensified the criticisms against different elite universities of the country (included Harvard) accusing them of promoting some liberal ideologies without adequately contrasting widespread anti -Semitism. According to the National Security Department:
Harvard’s leadership has created an unhealthy university environment allowing anti-American and pro-terrorist agitators to harass and attack physically individuals, including many Jewish students, and to hinder in other ways its venerable learning environment.
In Trump’s sights, therefore, there is not only Harvard: in an interview with the US newspaper Fox Newsthe secretary for American internal security Kristi Noem in fact it has opened to the possibility of imposing the same decision to other American colleges, in particular to the group of Ivy Leaguewhich are part of, among others, also Yale, Columbia And Princetonas well as Harvard herself. It therefore seems that the US president is trying to extend his action on other American universities, under penalty ofexclusion from financing programs.
How many are the foreign students of Harvard
The University of Harvard is located a Boston And it is the oldest college in the United States, as well as one of the most prestigious: founded in 1636today it has more than 20,000 total students. The cost of the registration is around the 60,000 dollars per year, but can go up to 87,000 If you also consider food and accommodation.
According to reports from the University, this year there were about 6,800 foreign students who attended Harvard, equal to about the 27% of the student body. In 2010 they were only the 19.7%. For these students, among other things, the straight line is even higher: that’s why to prohibit access would mean another hard blow for the institution and its funds.
What could happen now
So Harvard will be forced to hunt All his international students? It is not said. At the moment the most probable thing is that the university turns to American justice to appeal against the ordinance and thus prevent the entry into force of the provision. Already in April a group of teachers university had a cause against the Trump administration for threats received on the blocking of federal funds, accusing the government of violating the Civil Right Act (who prohibits all kinds of racial discrimination at work and in schools) “with the sole purpose of punishing academics for their ideas”.
The college could therefore decide to sue The Trump administration for the second time, especially after the measure has been called “illegitimate” by a spokesperson for the institution. The director of relations with the media of the University, Jason Newtonsaid:
We are fully committed to maintaining Harvard’s ability to host our students and international scholars, who come from more than 140 countries and enrich the university – and this nation – immeasuably. We are working quickly to provide guide and support to the members of our community. This retaliation action threatens serious damage to the Harvard community and our country and undermines Harvard’s academic and research mission.
Now the National Security Department has imposed a ultimatum 72 hours at the University, who can re -tend to access for international students if he chooses to deliver all the audio and video material requested by the secretariat for national security that could confirm or deny the accusations of dangerous or illegal actions committed by foreigners during the last 5 years.
