Harvard graduates celebrated the opening ceremony Thursday, a critical moment for Ivy League schools as federal judges extended an order that prevented U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration’s attempt to ban college admissions.
U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs' temporary restraining order on government lawsuits last week expanded the barriers she imposed. Last week, Harvard University sued the Department of Homeland Security because Secretary Kristi Noem revoked the ability to host foreign students on campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
On Thursday, the Trump administration announced a new effort to revoke Harvard’s certification to recruit foreign students. In a letter sent by Todd Lyons, the agency’s agency Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the government gave Harvard 30 days in response to alleged evacuation reasons, including allegations that Harvard coordinated with foreign entities, failed to respond adequately to anti-Semitism on campus.
On campus, the soon-to-be-graduate students cheered speakers who emphasized the importance of being diverse and international students while adhering to the truth.
While other schools face losses in federal funding and their ability to disagree with the Trump administration’s change demands, Harvard has led the challenge of violating the White House in court for more than a century before the nation itself.
U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs temporarily suspended the Trump administration's ban on Harvard's admissions capacity. Foreign students include one in four students at Harvard University, including hundreds of Canadians.
“Diversity is our power”
Harvard President Alan Garber repeatedly defends the school without direct contact with Trump
The government threatens when addressing graduates on Thursday. But when he cites the university’s global reach, he does get excited applause, noting that it is “as it should.”
Some of the upcoming speakers talked more directly about the challenges facing schools and society.
Salutatorian Aidan Robert Scully spoke in Latin, giving a reference to Trump's policy.
“I say so: … Neither Bowles nor the Prince can change the truth, denying diversity is our strength.”
This is the emotions of Yurong Luanna Jiang, a Chinese graduate who studies the international development.
She said of other students in the International Development Program: “When I met 77 classmates from 32 different countries, I only knew, what I knew, the colorful shapes on the map turned into real people, laughter, dreams and perseverance survived in Cambridge's long winter.”
Praise the principal of the school
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was a “class” speaker, basketball legend and activist on Wednesday, especially appealing to Garber’s actions.
He continued: “I was inspired to see Harvard gain a foothold for freedom after seeing so many cringe billionaires, media tycoons, law firms, politicians and other universities bent their knees to a government that systematically deprived the U.S. Constitution.”
Government threats include withdrawing federal funds for scientific and medical research.
“Closing this work has not helped the country, and even if Harvard is punished, it is difficult to see the link between this and anti-Semitism,” Garber said in an interview with NPR this week.
Last year, Garber commissioned an internal report on anti-Semitism and anti-Arab bias, and Harvard students built calls for the tents of the university to evacuate companies that support the Israeli military, which responded to Gaza's attack on Hamas. Last year, hundreds of graduates walked out, calling for “free, free Palestine.”
This year, anti-war demonstrations have faded to a large extent, but protesters held a quiet vigil just hours before Thursday’s ceremony. Protesters stood quietly on the walls of Harvard University with signs that read “Ceasefire immediately” and “Not another bomb.”
Students face uncertainty, harassment: Harvard officials
In April, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem sent a letter to the school asking for a series of records related to foreign students, including disciplinary records and anything related to “dangerous or violent activities.”
Harvard said this meets the criteria. But on May 22, Neum sent a letter saying the school’s response was insufficient. She said Harvard is withdrawing from a federal program that allows universities to sponsor international students to obtain our visas. It takes effect immediately and prevents Harvard from hosting foreign students during the upcoming school year.
Thomas Mete, a student at Harvard University in Canada, described the turmoil that the Trump administration experienced when it tried to ban international students. Mete said in a conversation with the National that he was paying close attention to development because he had no plans.
Harvard argued in its lawsuit that the government failed to comply with administrative procedures and regulations that determine how schools can be removed from eligibility to host international students, including giving schools the opportunity to appeal and a 30-day response window. Wednesday's notice complies with these regulations.
Despite the restrictions, the Trump administration’s efforts to block Harvard’s admissions have created an environment of “deep fear, concern and chaos” despite the restrictions.
Martin also said international Harvard students arriving in Boston were dispatched for additional screening by Customs and Border Protection agents, while international students seeking to obtain visas were denied or faced delays from consulates and embassies.
In addition, the Trump administration announced plans to cut student visas from China regardless of its scheduled destination in the United States for post-secondary education.
