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Harvard challenges White House’s attempt to block international students

Harvard University has taken legal action against the White House’s latest move to prevent the university from accepting international students. The university has deemed President Donald Trump’s proclamation, which banned Harvard’s foreign students from entering the US on national security grounds, as a violation of the First Amendment. In an amended lawsuit, Harvard argues that Trump’s invocation of a law to block a “class of aliens” is not applicable in this case.

The amended lawsuit asserts that Trump’s proclamation effectively allows international students to enter the country as long as they do not attend Harvard, which, according to the university, targets and singles out Harvard specifically. The lawsuit claims that this action by the President is a form of retaliation against Harvard for resisting the administration’s attempts to exert control over the school’s governance, curriculum, and academic freedom.

Alan Garber, Harvard’s president, condemned the targeting of the institution for enrolling international students and collaborating with other educational institutions globally. He stated, “Signaling out our institution for its enrollment of international students and its collaboration with other educational institutions around the world is yet another illegal step taken by the administration to retaliate against Harvard.”

In response to the White House’s policy cancelling its right to host foreign students, Harvard is actively developing contingency plans to ensure that international students and scholars can continue their academic pursuits at the university. With more than 27% of Harvard’s student population being international, the institution is committed to supporting their academic endeavors.

The government’s suspension of interviews for all international student visa applicants to the US, along with new guidance that includes scrutinizing their social media activity, has raised concerns among educational institutions. President Trump has also taken punitive measures against Harvard, such as cancelling government funding, threatening to revoke its tax-exempt status, and launching investigations into alleged civil rights violations and foreign donations.