Donald Trump has decided to go all guns blazing against immigrants in his second and final term as US President. In his latest stunt, he’s barred Harvard from enrolling new international students, putting nearly 7,000 F-1 visa holders at risk.
The move followed Homeland Security’s decision to revoke Harvard’s SEVP certification, citing claims of fostering violence and antisemitism. They even allege the Ivy League institution worked with the Chinese Communist Party to harbor paramilitary groups.
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However, this looks less like a security concern and more like a political attack on international talent. Critics are calling the move illegal—but as we have seen, Trump has long stopped pretending to follow the rules.
Moreover, isn’t it the job of immigration officers to do proper background checks before issuing F-1 visas? If so, how is a university now being blamed for “harboring” so-called “enemies”?
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Even worse is punishing thousands of innocent students who simply want a better future. F-1 visa rejections are already rising in India—maybe the authorities should spend more time fixing their flawed screening system instead of blaming colleges.
MAGA supporters are celebrating, claiming they’ve defeated their “enemies.” Yes, bright, hardworking students who get into Harvard are now labeled as enemies who deserve to be kicked out.
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If they can go after an esteemed institution like Harvard, what hope is there for other universities? This is clearly a symbolic move by Trump, meant to show he can do whatever he wants.
As Harvard has sued the Trump administration, most legal experts believe this won’t hold up in court. But one can argue the damage is already done.
This chaos is designed to make life miserable for international students so that they self-deport. Additionally, it scares away countless others planning to study in the US.
And you can say it is working, as Indian students are already reconsidering their American dream and deciding to go for better options in the US.
