(New York) Harvard University challenged Donald Trump’s decision on Thursday to restrict the access of new international students to his campus, a measure that arouses a shock wave for those concerned.
In the midst of a war against universities which he considers to be incubators of “wokism”, Donald Trump announced Wednesday evening that it was “necessary to restrict the entry to foreign nationals who seek to come to the United States to participate, exclusively or largely, in a program of studies of Harvard University”.
This measure immediately applies against “foreigners who enter or try to enter the United States to start participating” in university programs. It must remain in force for six months, unless it is extended, he added.
Harvard challenged this new measure from the Trump administration on Thursday, which is a part of a concerted campaign, going to crescendo, reprisal “against this university on Thursday, against this university which” refuses “to give in to government pressure.
At the end of May, the government had already tried to ban Harvard from welcoming foreign students, by withdrawing from this university its SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor) certification, the main system by which foreign students are authorized to study in the United States.
This announcement had caused a lot of stress for students, before a Federal Massachusetts court, a state where Harvard is located, grants them a stay by temporarily blocking this controversial measure – until Mr. Trump returned to the charge on Wednesday evening.
“I hang on to the hope that Harvard wins this (judicial) fight and that I can go back to the upcoming session,” Alfred Williamson, a Dano-Gallois student from Harvard currently on summer vacation abroad, to AFP.
Those who are currently registered in Harvard, the oldest university in the United States and one of the best classified in the world, will be the subject of an exam and could see their visas “revoked”, according to the decision announced on Wednesday.
“The Trump administration does everything it can to destroy (our) dreams,” says the 20 -year -old student in physics and political science. “Trump attacks Harvard because this university is honest and refuses to submit to its illegal and anti-American requirements,” he added.
“Pawns”
Harvard is on the front line of the war of Donald Trump against higher education, the university having, among other things, refused to submit to control of its academic programs, its staff or its students to maintain federal subsidies.
Washington has already amputated the university’s subsidies by around 3 billion dollars, which described the government’s new measures to “reprisals” on Wednesday.
“I knew that summer was coming a long time,” said AFP an Indian Harvard student refusing the publication of his name for fear of government retaliatory measures.
“What about students returning home for the summer?” They may not be able to return, ”says another international student who is currently looking to renew his visa.
Faced with this new Trump uppercut, Harvard could once again respond by the pen of his lawyers.
“We believe that Harvard University will request a preliminary injunction before a Federal Court to temporarily suspend,” This new decision, said Khensani Mathebula, a lawyer specializing in immigration to the Laura Cabinet Devine. “Simultaneously, the university will have to act quickly” to protect its international students, “she says.
For Olivia Data, 4 student in 4e Year in political science at Harvard, who has several foreign student friends, “this news is heartbreaking and frightening”.
“Our classy friends and comrades are used as pawns in the takeover of a dictator,” she alerts. “None of us know where it will lead, or if our university will be able to protect its students in the current political system.”
