Harvard University filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Friday in response to the government’s attempt to block the university from enrolling and hosting foreign students, according to a court filing.
On Thursday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem revoked Harvard’s permission to enroll foreign nationals, putting the futures of thousands of students at risk.
President Donald Trump is reportedly angry with Harvard — which boasts 162 Nobel laureates — for refusing to comply with his demand for oversight on admissions and hiring, citing claims that the university is a center of anti-Semitism and “woke” liberal ideology.
The administration has already threatened to review $9 billion in government funding to Harvard, frozen an initial $2.2 billion in grants along with $60 million in official contracts, and targeted a Harvard Medical School researcher for deportation.
“It is the latest act by the government in clear retaliation for Harvard exercising its First Amendment rights to reject the government’s demands to control Harvard’s governance, curriculum, and the ‘ideology’ of its faculty and students,” the lawsuit, filed in a Massachusetts federal court, stated.
Losing foreign students — who make up over a quarter of Harvard’s student body — could have significant financial implications for the university, which charges tens of thousands of dollars annually in tuition.
– ‘Unlawful and unwarranted’ –
Harvard President Alan Garber condemned the government’s action in a statement Friday: “We condemn this unlawful and unwarranted action.
“It imperils the futures of thousands of students and scholars across Harvard and serves as a warning to countless others at colleges and universities throughout the country who have come to America to pursue their education and fulfill their dreams.”
“We have just filed a complaint, and a motion for a temporary restraining order will follow.”
Noem had said Thursday that “this administration is holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence and antisemitism and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus.”
Chinese students represent more than 20% of Harvard’s international enrolment, according to university data. Beijing responded by stating the decision will “only harm the image and international standing of the United States”.
“The Chinese side has consistently opposed the politicization of educational cooperation,” said foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning.
Harvard had previously filed suit against the US government over other punitive actions.
Karl Molden, a 21-year-old Harvard student from Austria, said he is considering transferring to Oxford University in Britain due to concerns over these measures.
“It’s scary and it’s saddening,” the government and classics student told AFP Thursday, calling his admission to Harvard the “greatest privilege” of his life.
Leaders of the Harvard chapter of the American Association of University Professors described the government’s decision as “the latest in a string of nakedly authoritarian and retaliatory moves against America’s oldest institution of higher education.”
— AFP
