Foreign students can temporarily remain at Harvard amidst ongoing regulations.
Harvard's International Student Standoff Continues
In a recent development, a federal judge has extended an order preventing the U.S. government from barring Harvard University from welcoming international students. This blockade is part of an ongoing legal dispute between the prestigious institution and the Trump administration.
Initially, the judge's order was issued last Friday, and following a hearing, it was further extended. Harvard is instructed to continue admitting international students holding valid visas, with the judge citing the need to maintain the status quo. However, this decision is not yet a definitive ruling.
Previously, the U.S. government had given Harvard 30 days to demonstrate compliance with all legal requirements and rectify any non-compliance issues. The administration argued that Harvard should no longer be authorized to admit new international students under a special federal program. Existing foreign students would risk losing their status in the U.S. if they remained at Harvard.
Harvard has challenged this decision in court, claiming it to be unlawful and retaliatory. Last week, the court agreed with Harvard, asserting that the government's order would cause immediate and irreparable harm to the university.
The Trump administration justifies its actions based on allegations of pro-Palestinian protests at U.S. universities and the universities' perceived failure to take resolute action against such protests and anti-Semitic incidents.
Harvard is home to a significant number of international students, with 27 percent of its student body hailing from overseas. The majority of these students come from Asia, with 549 of them currently enrolled from Germany.
Amidst the legal battle, Harvard celebrated its graduation ceremony this year. Harvard President Alan Garber saluted the numerous international graduates during the commencement ceremony in Cambridge, west of Boston. "This is the way it should be," Garber said in the midst of the cheers of hundreds of graduates wearing academic regalia.
Invited to give the commencement speech was Dr. Abraham Verghese, a medicine professor at Stanford University in California. Born in Ethiopia, Verghese expressed concern for international students who fear being wrongfully imprisoned and deported. He recounted his personal experiences, referencing the military coup in his home country of Ethiopia in 1974, which resulted in the closure of his university. Verghese suggested that such actions are common among "so-called strong men" who target centers of truth and reason.
Sources: ntv.de, mpe/dpa/AFP
- The ongoing legal dispute between Harvard University and the Trump administration, centered around community policy and the free movement of workers, has become a topic of general news and learning for many, as it directly affects education-and-self-development and freedom of movement, considering the potential impact on international students.
- Politicians and policymakers worldwide are closely watching the Harvard-Trump administration conflict, with its implications for the freedom of movement and its effects on global academia, as it could set a precedent for future student mobility, especially during tumultuous political times.
