Trump Tightens Grip on Harvard: "Students Extremely Anxious... Research Also Affected"

Even a Former Foreign Head of State, Now a Kennedy School Fellow, Was Subjected to Inspection

Anti-Trump protests are taking place at Harvard University. Photo by EPA Yonhap News

The Harvard University administration has stated that although a federal court has temporarily blocked the Trump administration's attempt to revoke the registration eligibility of foreign students at Harvard, the number of transfer inquiries from international students who feel threatened has surged.

According to the New York Times on May 28 (local time), Maureen Martin, Harvard's Director of Immigration Services, submitted documents to the court on this day, stating that the Trump administration's move to cancel Harvard's certification to enroll foreign students has caused "serious fear, concern, and confusion" among international students.

According to court documents, Director Martin said that numerous foreign students have contacted her to inquire about transferring, and that some are even afraid to attend their own graduation ceremonies. A small number of American students have also expressed hesitation about continuing to attend Harvard if foreign students are no longer present.

Some international students claimed that they experienced difficulties at airports due to visas issued through Harvard. The documents were submitted as part of Harvard's lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security and others, arguing that the Trump administration's measure to block foreign student registration is illegal.

Previously, a U.S. federal court granted Harvard's request for a preliminary injunction to suspend the effectiveness of the Department of Homeland Security's measure to block foreign student registration. Both sides are scheduled to face each other in court for the first time during the main trial on May 29.

The New York Times reported that if President Trump's executive order to revoke the registration eligibility of international students at Harvard is implemented as is, it would affect approximately 5,000 current students at Harvard and about 2,000 alumni who are working in the U.S. on post-graduation work visas.

In the court documents, Director Martin stated, "Many international students and scholars are reporting significant emotional distress, which is affecting their mental health and making it difficult for them to focus on their research."

For example, just hours after the Trump administration announced its measure to block foreign student registration at Harvard, students holding Harvard-issued international student visas and their families were subjected to intensified inspections. Director Martin stated that as a result, "a former head of state who is currently a fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School" also faced difficulties. However, the specific identity of the former head of state was not disclosed.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.