The United States President, Donald Trump, has yesterday, defended his administration’s decision to bar Harvard University from enrolling foreign students, following a court ruling that temporarily halted the move. Published on his Truth Social platform, Trump, criticized the prestigious university for hosting nearly 31 per cent of international students while denying of receiving of financial contribution from their home countries.
Trump said, “We want to know who those foreign students are, a reasonable request since we give Harvard billions of dollars, but Harvard isn’t exactly forthcoming”.
The controversy sprung-up last week when Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem revoked Harvard’s authority to admit foreign nationals.
Noem had formerly warned the institution that it must release information on student visa holders allegedly involved in “illegal and violent activities” or face consequences.
Harvard responded by filing a lawsuit, accusing the federal government of acting in an “arbitrary, capricious, unlawful, and unconstitutional” manner.
The situation that made the federal judge to quickly issued a suspension of the government’s directive, making way for the university to maintain its international admissions temporarily.
The Trump administration’s action is part of the Israeli campaign against the raise of anti-semeticat University campuses across the united state that the government tries to stifle.
Trump administration has vowed to revoke visas and deport any foreign students who have participated in pro-Palestinian protests, alleging that they are Hamas sympathizers, an allegation yet to be proven.
Last month, the administration froze $2.2 bn in federal funding to Harvard, and earlier this month, the Department of Education threatened to cut off research grants entirely made for the school until AIPAC condition is met by the school.
