Trump Issues Visa Ban for Incoming Foreign Students at Harvard
The U.S. President cites national security concerns as reason for barring new international students at the prestigious university.
In a move that has stirred intense debate in academic and political circles, U.S. President Donald Trump has announced a ban on issuing visas to foreign students who plan to commence their studies at Harvard University.
The announcement was made Wednesday during a summer event at the White House, where Trump addressed guests from the Truman Balcony on the South Lawn. The decision marks a significant escalation in the administration’s ongoing conflict with the nation’s oldest university.
“I have determined that it is necessary to restrict the entry of foreign nationals who seek to enter the United States solely or principally to participate in a course of study at Harvard University or in an exchange visitor program hosted by Harvard University,” Trump said, according to AFP.
The executive order, signed the same day, cites national security risks associated with allowing Harvard to continue admitting foreign students on its Cambridge, Massachusetts campus. The document, as reported by the Associated Press, accuses Harvard of non-cooperation with federal authorities and labels the institution an unsuitable destination for international scholars.
“In my judgment, Harvard’s conduct has rendered it an unsuitable destination for foreign students and researchers,” Trump stated in the order.
This latest action follows tensions between Harvard and the federal government, particularly after a Boston federal court recently blocked the Department of Homeland Security’s attempt to bar international students from the university. Trump’s new order uses a separate legal basis to enforce the visa restrictions.
The dispute reportedly intensified after Harvard allegedly refused federal demands to submit records concerning foreign students’ conduct. In a related development last month, the U.S. State Department instructed all overseas consular missions to begin enhanced screening for individuals applying for visas to study or engage in activities at Harvard, according to a Reuters report.
The White House has not yet released further details on how long the ban will remain in place or whether it could be expanded to other universities.
