Introduction to the Crisis
The Trump administration has revoked its permission for Harvard University to enroll international students, in a dramatic escalation of what the Department of Homeland Security says is an effort to curb antisemitism at the university.
The move “means Harvard can no longer enroll foreign students and existing foreign students must transfer or lose their legal status,” a DHS press release from May 22 states.
Impact on International Students
The order does not appear to carve out exceptions for Israeli or other international Jewish students. Asked if the order would also apply to Israeli and international Jewish students, a DHS representative directed the Jewish Telegraphic Agency back to the initial statement.
Jewish leaders at Harvard, including the director of the school’s Hillel, believe such students will also be targeted by the ruling, and at least one Israeli student who spoke with JTA believed the order would target them, too.
“As far as we know, the ban is universal. There are no exceptions,” said Genia Lukin, an Israeli doctoral student in Harvard’s psychology department.
Background on the Affected Students
Lukin is in her third out of five years with the program, studying language acquisition in babies who are blind. She initially enrolled at Duke University, but her lab moved to Harvard shortly before Oct. 7. She plans to return to Israel once she’s finished her doctorate — if she’s not forced back earlier.
“I am annoyed, obviously. This is not what we needed,” Lukin said. “A lot of the Israelis are feeling pretty angry, because we both were dealing with all the stuff on campus throughout the last two years, which was a substantial drain on our mental health and well-being, and now we’re also being punished, in a way.”
Reasoning Behind the Decision
The government pulled the university’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification, which allows it to enroll nonimmigrant international students. “This administration is holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in the release, explaining why she was taking the unprecedented step.
The school enrolled about 6,800 students from abroad last year, making up just over a quarter of the total enrollment, according to university data.
Ongoing Conflict
The block on international students is the latest salvo in the war between Trump and Harvard, ostensibly over antisemitism. In recent weeks, the battle has included three rounds of federal funding cuts totaling billions of dollars, a lawsuit filed by the school, and efforts to revoke the university’s nonprofit status.
While some prominent Jews have praised Trump’s Harvard crackdown, many others say the administration’s actions appear more focused on damaging higher education than addressing the concerns of Jewish students.
Impact on Jewish Students
A not-insubstantial number of Israeli and other international Jewish students attend school at Harvard. The International Jewish Student Center of Boston, overseen by Harvard Chabad, was founded specifically to cater to their needs, as well as those of international Jewish students at other area schools. Recent events at the center included a barbeque for Brazilian Jewish students.
A representative of the center directed a request for comment to Harvard Chabad. The Chabad director, who has been a vocal critic of university leaders for fostering antisemitism since Oct. 7, did not return multiple requests for comment.
Effects on the University Community
Since Oct. 7, some international students at Harvard were among those found to have agitated against Jewish and Israeli students on campus. A recent antisemitism task force report spelled out some of these instances. But Israeli students at Harvard, who will also likely be affected by this order, have also been among the most visibly targeted.
Lukin said the task force report was, “if anything, understated.” She personally knew many of the Israeli students whose accounts were cited by the task force, and said she, herself, had also experienced targeting on campus for activities including advocating for Israeli hostages. “It’s been an especially unpleasant environment.”
Criticism of the Administration’s Actions
But, she said, the actions of the Trump administration would not address the problem. If anything, she said, the pulling of federal grants — which has hit her department and many others — has fostered more campus antisemitism in the backlash.
“People are responding to the issue of antisemitism more negatively because the grants have been pulled,” she said, adding that some at Harvard were now less likely to see antisemitism as a serious problem. She added that it’s now “treated as if it were a lever in the administration.”
University Response
Reached for comment, Harvard Hillel director Rabbi Jason Rubenstein provided a statement he initially made last month as the Trump administration began ramping up its attacks on Harvard, criticizing what he described as “the current, escalating federal assault against Harvard.”
Rubenstein said that among the administration’s actions were “threatening all student visas, including those of Israeli students who are proud veterans of the Israel Defense Forces and forceful advocates for Israel on campus.”
In a statement, a spokesperson for Harvard told JTA the administration’s actions are “unlawful” and said the university would fight to be able to enroll students from abroad.
Conclusion
The decision by the Trump administration to revoke Harvard’s right to enroll international students, including Jews from abroad, has sparked widespread criticism and concern. The move is seen as a drastic escalation of the ongoing conflict between the administration and the university, and its impact on the academic community, particularly international students, will be significant. As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the university and its students will respond to this challenge.
FAQs
- Q: What is the reason behind the Trump administration’s decision to revoke Harvard’s right to enroll international students?
A: The administration claims it is an effort to curb antisemitism at the university. - Q: Will the decision affect Israeli and other international Jewish students?
A: Yes, the order does not carve out exceptions for these students, and they will likely be affected by the ruling. - Q: How many international students are enrolled at Harvard?
A: The school enrolled about 6,800 students from abroad last year, making up just over a quarter of the total enrollment. - Q: What is the university’s response to the administration’s decision?
A: Harvard has stated that the administration’s actions are “unlawful” and will fight to be able to enroll students from abroad. - Q: What are the potential options for international students affected by the decision?
A: They could try to apply for citizenship, transfer to another school, or potentially finish their programs over Zoom.
