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Japan Today
3 days ago
- Politics
- Japan Today
Harvard challenges Trump ban on entry of international students
FILE PHOTO: People walk to attend the 374th Commencement exercises at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S., May 29, 2025. REUTERS/Brian Snyder/File Photo By Nate Raymond, Steve Gorman and Daniel Wiessner Harvard University said on Thursday that U.S. President Donald Trump's move to bar foreign nationals seeking to study at the Ivy League school from entering the United States is illegal, and asked a judge to block it immediately pending further litigation. Harvard amended an earlier lawsuit, which it had filed amid a broader dispute with the Republican president, to challenge the proclamation that Trump issued on Wednesday. "The Proclamation denies thousands of Harvard's students the right to come to this country to pursue their education and follow their dreams, and it denies Harvard the right to teach them. Without its international students, Harvard is not Harvard," the school said in the filing. White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson called Harvard "a hotbed of anti-American, anti-Semitic, pro-terrorist agitators," claims that the school has previously denied. "Harvard's behavior has jeopardized the integrity of the entire U.S. student and exchange visitor visa system and risks compromising national security. Now it must face the consequences of its actions," Jackson said in a statement. Trump cited national security concerns as justification for barring international students from entering the U.S. to pursue studies at the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based university. The suspension will initially be for six months but can be extended. Trump's proclamation also directs the U.S. State Department to consider revoking academic or exchange visas of any current Harvard students who meet his proclamation's criteria. In Thursday's court filing, Harvard said Trump had violated federal law by failing to back up his claims about national security. "The Proclamation does not deem the entry of an alien or class of aliens to be detrimental to the interests of the United States, because noncitizens who are impacted by the Proclamation can enter the United States — just so long as they go somewhere other than Harvard," the school said. The Trump administration has launched a multifront attack on the nation's oldest and wealthiest university, freezing billions of dollars in grants and other funding and proposing to end its tax-exempt status, prompting a series of legal challenges. Harvard argues the administration is retaliating against it for refusing to accede to demands to control the school's governance, curriculum and the ideology of its faculty and students. Trump's directive came a week after a federal judge in Boston, U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs, announced she would issue a broad injunction blocking the administration from revoking Harvard's ability to enroll international students, who make up about a quarter of its student body. Harvard said in Thursday's court filing that the proclamation was "a patent effort to do an end-run around this Court's order." The university sued after Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced on May 22 that her department was immediately revoking Harvard's Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification, which allows it to enroll foreign students. Noem's action was temporarily blocked almost immediately by Burroughs. On the eve of a hearing before her last week, the department changed course and said it would instead challenge Harvard's certification through a lengthier administrative process. Nonetheless, Burroughs said she planned to issue a longer-term preliminary injunction at Harvard's urging, saying one was necessary to give some protection to Harvard's international students. Wednesday's two-page directive from Trump said Harvard had "demonstrated a history of concerning foreign ties and radicalism," and had "extensive entanglements with foreign adversaries," including China. It said Harvard had seen a "drastic rise in crime in recent years while failing to discipline at least some categories of conduct violations on campus," and had failed to provide sufficient information to the Homeland Security Department about foreign students' "known illegal or dangerous activities." The school in Thursday's court filing said those claims were unsubstantiated. © Thomson Reuters 2025.
Straits Times
3 days ago
- Straits Times
Massachusetts high school student released from US immigration custody
Classmates react and celebrate after an immigration judge ordered released on bond Marcelo Gomes da Silva, a high school student from Milford who was detained by Immigration and Enforcement (ICE), outside the Immigration court in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, U.S., June 5, 2025. REUTERS/Brian Snyder Classmates and relatives react and celebrate after an immigration judge ordered released on bond Marcelo Gomes da Silva, a high school student from Milford who was detained by Immigration and Enforcement (ICE), outside the Immigration court in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, U.S., June 5, 2025. REUTERS/Brian Snyder Classmates react and celebrate after an immigration judge ordered released on bond Marcelo Gomes da Silva, a high school student from Milford who was detained by Immigration and Enforcement (ICE), outside the Immigration court in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, U.S., June 5, 2025. REUTERS/Brian Snyder Classmates gather outside the Immigration court as an immigration judge held a bond hearing for Marcelo Gomes da Silva, a high school student from Milford who was detained by Immigration and Enforcement (ICE), in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, U.S., June 5, 2025. REUTERS/Brian Snyder A Homeland Security officer speaks to classmates and relatives gathered outside the Immigration court as an immigration judge held a bond hearing for Marcelo Gomes da Silva, a high school student from Milford who was detained by Immigration and Enforcement (ICE), in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, U.S., June 5, 2025. REUTERS/Brian Snyder BOSTON - A Massachusetts high school student who was arrested during the weekend by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on his way to volleyball practice was released from custody on Thursday after a judge granted him bond. Marcelo Gomes da Silva, 18, was granted a $2,000 bond by Immigration Judge Jenny Beverly in Chelmsford, allowing him to return home to his family in the Boston suburb of Milford following his Saturday arrest during a traffic stop. The detention of the Brazilian, who arrived in the United States as a child in 2012 on a now-lapsed visa, prompted protests in Massachusetts as the incident became a flashpoint in Republican President Donald Trump's efforts to ramp up immigration arrests and deportations. Classmates gathered outside the immigration court celebrated after word of the judge's decision reached them. Miriam Conrad, one of his lawyers, in an email called his arrest "pointless and cruel." In a video posted by GBH News following his release, Gomes told reporters that he spent his time in custody praying. "It's not a good place," he added. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Milford High School junior had been driving his father's vehicle when he was arrested by ICE following a traffic stop, the agency's acting director, Todd Lyons, told reporters on Monday. ICE officials said Gomes was not the target of the investigation that led to his arrest, and that authorities instead were seeking his father, who has not been arrested. "He's in this country illegally, and we're not going to walk away from anybody," Lyons told reporters. In response to a lawsuit alleging he was unlawfully detained, U.S. District Judge George O'Toole issued an order barring immigration authorities from transferring Gomes out of Massachusetts without 48 hours' notice. The lawsuit said Gomes entered the United States on a student visa in 2012. While his visa status has lapsed, the lawsuit said he intends to apply for asylum. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Massachusetts high school student should be released, US immigration judge rules
Classmates react and celebrate after an immigration judge ordered released on bond Marcelo Gomes da Silva, a high school student from Milford who was detained by Immigration and Enforcement (ICE), outside the Immigration court in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, U.S., June 5, 2025. REUTERS/Brian Snyder Classmates and relatives react and celebrate after an immigration judge ordered released on bond Marcelo Gomes da Silva, a high school student from Milford who was detained by Immigration and Enforcement (ICE), outside the Immigration court in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, U.S., June 5, 2025. REUTERS/Brian Snyder Classmates react and celebrate after an immigration judge ordered released on bond Marcelo Gomes da Silva, a high school student from Milford who was detained by Immigration and Enforcement (ICE), outside the Immigration court in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, U.S., June 5, 2025. REUTERS/Brian Snyder Classmates gather outside the Immigration court as an immigration judge held a bond hearing for Marcelo Gomes da Silva, a high school student from Milford who was detained by Immigration and Enforcement (ICE), in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, U.S., June 5, 2025. REUTERS/Brian Snyder A Homeland Security officer speaks to classmates and relatives gathered outside the Immigration court as an immigration judge held a bond hearing for Marcelo Gomes da Silva, a high school student from Milford who was detained by Immigration and Enforcement (ICE), in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, U.S., June 5, 2025. REUTERS/Brian Snyder BOSTON - A Massachusetts high school student who was arrested during the weekend by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on his way to volleyball practice was ordered released on a $2,000 bond on Thursday. A lawyer for Marcelo Gomes Da Silva said the decision by Immigration Judge Jenny Beverly in Chelmsford cleared the way for the 18-year-old to return home to his family in the Boston suburb of Milford and be released from immigration custody following his Saturday arrest during a traffic stop. The detention of the Brazilian, who arrived in the United States when he was 5 on a now-lapsed visa, prompted protests in Massachusetts as the incident became a flashpoint in Republican President Donald Trump's efforts to ramp up immigration arrests and deportations. Classmates gathered outside the immigration court celebrated after word of the judge's decision reached them. "We are thrilled that Marcelo soon will be back home with his family and community," Miriam Conrad, one of his lawyers, said in an email. "But this shows how pointless and cruel the arrest was in the first place." The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Milford High School junior had been driving his father's vehicle when he was arrested by ICE following a traffic stop, the agency's acting director, Todd Lyons, told reporters on Monday. ICE officials said Gomes was not the target of the investigation that led to his arrest, and that authorities instead were seeking his father, who has not been arrested. "He's in this country illegally, and we're not going to walk away from anybody," Lyons told reporters. In response to a lawsuit alleging he was unlawfully detained, U.S. District Judge George O'Toole issued an order barring immigration authorities from transferring Gomes out of Massachusetts without 48 hours' notice. The lawsuit said that Gomes entered the United States on a student visa in 2012. While his visa status has lapsed, the lawsuit said he intends to apply for asylum. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Star
16-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Trump says Iran needs to move quickly on proposal
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks as he attends a business forum at Qasr Al Watan during the final stop of his Gulf visit, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, May 16, 2025. REUTERS/Brian Snyder (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday said Iran has his administration's proposal and knows it needs to move quickly, a day after saying Washington and Tehran were close to a nuclear deal. "They have a proposal. More importantly, they know they have to move quickly or something bad—something bad's going to happen," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One after departing the United Arab Emirates, according to an audio recording of the remarks. An Iranian source close to the negotiating team, said Tehran has yet to receive the U.S. proposal, "but Oman has got it and will hand it over to Tehran soon". (Reporting by Gram Slattery in Abu Dhabi and Doina Chiacu in Washington, additional reporting by Parisa Hafezi in Dubai; writing by Susan Heavey; Editing by Sharon Singleton)
Straits Times
15-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
US targets Iran-backed Hezbollah with new sanctions, Treasury Departments says
U.S. President Donald Trump talks to reporters aboard Air Force One, en-route to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, May 15, 2025. REUTERS/Brian Snyder US targets Iran-backed Hezbollah with new sanctions, Treasury Departments says WASHINGTON - The United States targeted two senior Hezbollah officials and two financial facilitators with new sanctions on Thursday for their role in coordinating financial transfers to the Iran-backed group, the Treasury Department said. The latest sanctions come as President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the United States was getting very close to securing a nuclear deal with Iran, and Tehran had "sort of" agreed to the terms. The people targeted were based in Lebanon and Iran and worked to get money to Hezbollah from overseas donors, the department said in a statement. Treasury said overseas donations make up a significant portion of the group's budget. Thursday's action highlights Hezbollah's "extensive global reach through its network of terrorist donors and supporters, particularly in Tehran," said Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Michael Faulkender. "As part of our ongoing efforts to address Iran's support for terrorism, Treasury will continue to intensify economic pressure on the key individuals in the Iranian regime and its proxies who enable these deadly activities." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
