Trump administration faces lawsuit from Harvard
US Federal Court Hearing Looms as Harvard University Challenges Trump Administration's Foreign Student Ban
On Wednesday, Harvard University filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts against the Trump administration, contending the recent federal action barring the prestigious university from accepting foreign students is unlawful.
The legal battle ensues following a prohibition by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump on Harvard admitting international students. This move is reportedly a response to Harvard's refusal to deliver records of foreign students' activities requested by the Department of Homeland Security last month. As a consequence, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen directed her department to halt the certification of Harvard's student and exchange visitor program.
Department officials stated that the university, "cannot accept foreign students, and existing foreign students must transfer or lose their legal status."
However, Harvard University President Lawrence Bacow disputed the claim that insufficient information on foreign students' conduct was provided to the government. According to Bacow's letter to the department, "Harvard provided all the requested information in accordance with the law."
Bacow alleges that the authorities' decision is part of a series of efforts to pressure Harvard for not complying with demands to curtail academic independence. He proclaimed, "We condemn this illegal and unjustified action. It threatens the future of thousands of students and scholars throughout Harvard and serves as a warning to countless other students and educators in colleges and universities across the country who have come to America to pursue their education and realize their dreams."
Established in 1636 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard University is one of the world's oldest and most esteemed universities. Members of the Ivy League, its institutions include Harvard College (undergraduate), the law, medical, and business schools, among others. The university boasts numerous Nobel laureates, U.S. presidents, renowned scientists, politicians, and entrepreneurs among its alumni, with students coming from over 150 countries.
- The lawsuit lodged by Harvard University against the Trump administration in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts is extending beyond the foreign student ban, as it also involves concerns about political pressure on academic independence.
- The education-and-self-development sector, particularly Harvard University, is being closely monitored for general news, given the ongoing legal battle and perceived political interference, which could set precedents for similar institutions throughout the country.
