Academic retaliation by Trump, Noem, Miller, and others involves punitive actions. These actions directly target a core role of universities. Their action to bar international students, as shown below, from Harvard and, no doubt, other universities, is a tragedy.
The Trump administration recently revoked Harvard University’s certification. This affects their ability to enroll international students. It is based on the authoritarian playbook written into Project 25 by the Heritage Foundation. It’s. Another illegal move by the Trump cronies. It’s very serious. Its affect all of higher education.
I am an emeritus professor of science education at Georgia State University. I have more than 30 years of experience in higher education. International students broaden the diversity at our universities, enabling American students to collaborate with people from other nations.
I was involved as co-director of The Global Project (GTP). It was a hands-across-the-globe initiative that brought teachers and students together through the early Internet. The project was supported through exchanges funded by the U.S. Department of State. For 20 years, educators from Georgia and other U.S. states began traveling to the Soviet Union, and continued into the early part of the 21st Century.
Over a short period of time schools from Australia, the Czech Republic, and Spain joined the GTP. Students around the world participated in local and global studies of the environment. But more importantly, they came to value their peers from other countries, especially when they participated in exchanges. They lived with families from different countries. They realized that working and living with people from another nation is valuable to their personal development.
Banning foreign students from enrolling in American universities makes us all small.
Legal Considerations
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is led by Secretary Kristi Noem. They cited allegations of Harvard fostering antisemitism. They also mentioned collaborating with the Chinese Communist Party as reasons for the desertification. This action affects approximately 6,800 international students. These students were instructed to transfer to other institutions. Otherwise, they risk losing their legal status.
Harvard has condemned the move as unlawful. They argue it is retaliatory and threatens the university’s academic mission. It also impacts constitutional rights. Legal experts and civil liberties advocates have expressed concerns. They believe the decision lacks a solid legal foundation. It is seen as violating established procedures, infringing on academic freedom.
A federal judge has issued a nationwide injunction. This prevents the administration from revoking the legal status of international students while litigation continues. The judge cited potential harm and due process violations.
Impact on Other Universities
This is not a “Harvard problem.” This action serves as a warning to other academic institutions. Noem emphasized that universities must “get your act together.” She indicated that non-compliance with federal policies will result in severe consequences. These consequences include loss of funding and tax-exempt status. Oddly, it’s Noem who needs to get her act together. She posed in front of immigrants deported and jailed in the El Salvador prison, illegally.
The purge of immigrants by the Trump administration is further extended by singling out foreign students at Harvard, and
telling them to “get out, go somewhere else, or go home.” That is the chant of white supremacists when they confront a person who looks or speaks differently than themselves.
The broader implications include potential deterrence of international students from enrolling in U.S. institutions, which undermine a sector contributing $44 billion annually to the U.S. economy. Additionally, the move raises concerns about the future of international education in the U.S. and drives students to institutions in other countries.
In summary, the administration’s actions have been halted by a federal judge in Boston. They have already prompted significant debate and outrage. Trumpism is violent, cruel, and mostly illegal. Our universities are being dragged into an autocratic world by a felon who was elected president. God help us.
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