Harvard To Lose International Students Enrolment Rights? US President Donald Trump Threatens Ban On Foreign Admissions

In a major escalation against Ivy League universities, the Trump administration has warned Harvard University that it could lose its right to admit foreign students unless it cooperates with federal demands related to campus protests.

According to the media reports, the warning comes after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) accused Harvard of failing to provide information about international students allegedly involved in what officials called "illegal and violent activities."

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said Harvard has until April 30 to submit records about these students or risk losing its ability to host international students. The department also cancelled two grants worth over $2.7 million, saying the university’s $53.2 billion endowment is more than enough to manage on its own.

This move follows after the government reduced crucial federal funding to Harvard amid tensions over student demonstrations against Israel's Gaza military campaign. U.S. President Donald Trump has been vocal in criticising pro-Palestinian campus protests in the United States, accusing some students of encouraging extremist or antisemitic ideologies. He has even proceeded to direct immigration authorities to deport foreign students who participate in these demonstrations, even those who possess U.S. green cards.

Harvard’s finances at risk

In a separate step, the administration has also approached the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to revoke Harvard’s tax-exempt status. Officials argue that Harvard is violating the rules that allow it to be a nonprofit institution by allegedly not taking enough action to curb antisemitism on campus.

If the IRS approves, the relocation would impact the university's finances, such as its capacity to provide student aid and fund medical research programs.

Harvard's spokesperson replied that it is cognisant of the letter from DHS and will obey the law. Nevertheless, the university insisted that it will not abandon its constitutional rights and autonomy. It asserted that it still fights against antisemitism and other prejudices while defending freedom of speech and the right to protest.

The move by the Trump administration is part of a larger crackdown on prestigious universities that have emerged as flashpoints for Israel-Gaza conflict protests. The government is targeting peaceful protestors unfairly, and equating support for Palestinian rights with antisemitism, critics charge, including some Jewish student groups.

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