Harvard sues to keep privilege of enrolling foreign students
Harvard has sued the federal government to keep the privilege of enrolling foreign students, a lucrative source of revenue for the college as well, additionally, a path to international influence.
The Trump administration had revoked the school’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification as a dispute over Harvard’s decision to refuse to cooperate with the government on issues including student protests, anti-Semitism and even cooperation with China, explodes.
The administration has explained Harvard has refused to comply with a list of demands sent to the school in April regarding student protests, many being anti-Israel and pro-Hamas, the anti-Semitism present on campus and allegations that the school has allowed infiltration by the Chinese Communist Party.
Republicans on the House Select Committee on China and the House Committee on Education and Workforce have begun investigating what links there may be between the school and the CCP.
Harvard, in the latest lawsuit it has brought against the Trump administration, is claiming the ending of its certification is a “blatant violation of the First Amendment, the Due Process Clause, and the Administrative Procedure Act.”
A federal judge in Harvard’s back yard immediately came to the school’s aid, temporarily blocking the administration decision to cancel the program for foreign students.
The order came from Allison Burroughs, a judge in Boston.
The administration move left the campus in disarray only days before graduation this year, the school claimed, as foreign students now are deciding whether to transfer or risk staying, and possibly losing legal status to remain in the U.S.
A report from the Washington Examiner said Alan Garber, the school chief, claimed the withdrawal of the privilege of enrolling foreign students, “imperils the futures of thousands of students and scholars across Harvard and serves as a warning to countless others at colleges and universities throughout the country who have come to America to pursue their education and fulfill their dreams.”
The end of that certification, in fact, would mean many students at Harvard would have to transfer to another school. Estimates are that about one fourth of the student population there is foreign.
Harvard’s filing claimed, “It is the latest act by the government in clear retaliation for Harvard exercising its First Amendment rights to reject the government’s demands to control Harvard’s governance, curriculum, and the ‘ideology’ of its faculty and students.”
The school also has lost an estimated $2.7 billion in government grants because of its agenda, following decisions byi federal officials with end those payments.
The foreign students are a lucrative source of cash for the school, which already has a $53 billion endowment.
The report said, “Most international students at Harvard pay full tuition, which is $59,320 for the 2024-25 academic year. Room and Board on campus and other mandatory fees amount to an additional $27,606 per student. The total for an international student to attend Harvard is $86,926 per year.”
WND reported when the decision to withdraw Harvard’s permission to enroll foreigners was announced.
The Department of Homeland Security said Harvard has created “an unsafe campus environment” by allowing “anti-American, pro-terrorist agitators” to assault Jewish students on campus.
Homeland Security reports have confirmed how Jewish students report discrimination and bias on campus.
“It is a privilege, not a right, for universities to enroll foreign students and benefit from their higher tuition payments to help pad their multibillion-dollar endowments. Harvard had plenty of opportunity to do the right thing. It refused. They have lost their Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification as a result of their failure to adhere to the law. Let this serve as a warning to all universities and academic institutions across the country.”
ties and academic institutions across the country.”