New Delhi: In an escalation of tensions between the Trump administration and Harvard University, President Donald Trump has signed an executive order barring nearly all foreign students from entering the United States to attend the Ivy League institution. This move, signed on Wednesday, marks the latest development in the widening rift between White House and the nation’s oldest and wealthiest university.
Citing national security concerns, the executive order declares that allowing Harvard to continue hosting international students on its Cambridge, Massachusetts campus apparently poses threats to the interests of the United States.
‘Entry of foreign nationals is detrimental’
“I have determined that the entry of the class of foreign nationals described above is detrimental to the interests of the United States because, in my judgment, Harvard’s conduct has rendered it an unsuitable destination for foreign students and researchers,” President Trump stated in the order.
Foreign students make up a considerable percentage of Harvard’s student population. This sudden ban could heavily impact the academia, the continuity of the same as well as the institute’s global reputation.
Harvard’s non-compliance sparks fresh legal battle
This decision comes on the heels of a federal court ruling in Boston last week that blocked an earlier attempt by the Department of Homeland Security to bar international students from attending classes at Harvard. In response, the administration has now invoked a different legal parameter to justify the new restrictions.
At the heart of this conflict lies Harvard’s non compliance with a federal request for information regarding the misconduct involving foreign students.
Harvard insists that it has fulfilled all legal obligations and responded to government inquiries, federal officials have deemed the university’s cooperation as “insufficient”.
The university has yet to issue an official response to an executive order.
