In an escalating battle with Harvard University, the Trump administration has revoked the school’s ability to enroll international students, citing concerns about campus safety and alleged ties with the Chinese Communist Party.
The Department of Homeland Security announced on Thursday that Harvard had created an unsafe environment by allegedly allowing assaults on Jewish students and cooperating with the Chinese Communist Party, leading to the revocation of the school’s authorization to enroll foreign students.
The big picture: The decision impacts nearly 6,800 international students at Harvard’s campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, constituting over a quarter of the student population, most of whom are graduate students from various countries.
- Harvard has condemned the action as unlawful and is working to provide guidance to affected students, emphasizing the potential harm to the academic and research mission of the university.
Driving the news: The dispute arose from a request in April from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, demanding information about foreign students involved in activities that could lead to deportation, with Harvard failing to comply with reporting requirements.
Go deeper: Noem’s recent actions require Harvard to produce comprehensive records on foreign students within 72 hours to potentially regain the ability to host international students for the upcoming academic year.
- The Trump administration has utilized various punitive measures against Harvard, including revoking its certification in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program and imposing financial penalties, responding to perceived failures in protecting Jewish students and alleged ties with the Chinese Communist Party.
