Latest news with #MaureenMartin
News18
06-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
‘Avoid Boston, Be Mindful Of Social Media': Harvard Issues Travel Advisory To Foreign Students
Last Updated: The Ivy League institute also warned the incoming students to be mindful of their social media content and personal electronic devices when entering the country. Harvard University has issued an advisory for its incoming international students to avoid entering the United States through Boston's Logan International Airport and instead consider flying into alternatives like New York due to prolonged interrogation or secondary inspections of students at the Boston Airport. The Ivy League institute also warned the incoming students to be mindful of their social media content and personal electronic devices when entering the country. Harvard also advised the international students to bring all necessary academic records, including their SEVIS receipt, CV, admission letter, and I-20/DS-2019. Additionally, they should confirm that electronic devices are available and unlocked. The warning comes amid heightened scrutiny at US borders and increasing pressure from the Trump administration on the university's international programs. There have been reports of prolonged interrogation or secondary inspections of students, particularly those with STEM backgrounds, and those from China or Iran. Harvard suggested flying to these airports because they facilitate more efficient travel for foreign visitors. According to a Bloomberg report, the advisory was issued during a private call, hosted by Harvard's international office and a Harvard Law School immigration support group. The call, held last week, included input from Maureen Martin, Harvard's Director of Immigration Services and Jason Corral, a staff attorney with the clinic. Students who joined the call told said that during the session, Harvard administrators warned new foreign students that US state department officials have the authority to review social media accounts for student visa applicants, while US Customs and Border Protection can examine personal electronic devices and reject entry based on their contents. It remains unclear whether these assessments are conducted manually by federal employees or with the aid of artificial intelligence, the report further stated. Students were also warned about potential 'red flags" that could attract scrutiny. Although not explicitly defined, posts expressing pro-Palestine views, content perceived as anti-Semitic, or posts derogatory to the US and its government were cited as likely to raise concerns. Any previous bumps into law enforcement could also attract attention. Harvard officials cautioned students not to delete the contents of their devices entirely as wiping a device clean before travel might raise suspicions. Special Travel Advice To Students From Iran, China The Harvard representatives reportedly advised Iranians and Chinese nationals studying in particular fields—including science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and anything related to AI—to exercise particular caution when travelling. Corral reportedly advised Iranian students to avoid flying into Boston's Logan International Airport, where they may face heightened scrutiny. Instead, airports such as New York's JFK, Chicago O'Hare or Los Angeles International were suggested as potentially less problematic alternatives. Harvard Vs Trump Harvard has been on the radar of the Donald Trump administration's push to change higher education. In addition to challenging the school's ability to admit international students, the administration has canceled over $2.6 billion in federal research funding and has questioned the university's tax-exempt status. Initially accusing Harvard of fostering antisemitism, federal officials have expanded their critique to include allegations of political bias and opposition to diversity initiatives in admissions and hiring. First Published:
Straits Times
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Harvard cautions foreign students over US airports, social media
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox BOSTON - Harvard University staff advised international students to be cautious about social media posts and warned some groups against arriving at Boston's Logan International Airport. Representatives from Harvard's international office and a Harvard Law School immigration support group held a call on July 3 to provide guidance to foreign students after the university won a preliminary injunction against the Trump administration's efforts to block its ability to enrol such individuals. The Harvard administrators cautioned students that State Department officials have the ability to review social media accounts for student visa applicants, while US Customs and Border Protection can examine personal electronic devices and reject entry based on their contents, according to students who participated, asking not to be identified because the call was private. The Harvard representatives said it's not clear whether this assessment is done by people or artificial intelligence and what exactly constitutes a red flag, although pro-Palestinian, anti-Semitic or posts derogatory of the US appear to be a focus, according to the students. Previous interactions with law enforcement, including minor infractions, will also attract attention. The Harvard representatives cautioned that wiping devices clean risks inviting suspicion, according to the students. The hosts of the call included Ms Maureen Martin, Harvard's director of immigration services, and Mr Jason Corral, a staff attorney at Harvard Law School's immigration and refugee clinic, the students said. A representative for Harvard's international office declined to comment. The Harvard representatives advised Iranians and Chinese nationals studying in particular fields – including science, technology, engineering and mathematics as well as anything related to AI – to exercise particular caution when travelling, according to the students. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Seller's stamp duty rates for private homes raised; holding period increased from 3 years to 4 Asia Japan urges evacuation of small island as 1,000 quakes hit region World Trump's sweeping tax-cut and spending Bill wins congressional approval World US Treasury chief sees 100 countries getting 10% reciprocal tariff Sport A true fans' player – Liverpool supporters in Singapore pay tribute to late Diogo Jota Singapore Universities like NUS need to be open, to become a sanctuary for global talent: Vivian Balakrishnan Singapore 193ha of land off Changi to be reclaimed for aviation park; area reduced to save seagrass meadow Business More Singapore residents met CPF Required Retirement Sum when they turned 55 in 2024 Iranians specifically have faced more scrutiny at Logan Airport and should fly into New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport instead, Mr Corral said on the call, according to the students. It's not clear if other international students would face smoother immigration processes at other airports but several participants said they walked away from the call with the understanding that JFK, Chicago's O'Hare International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport may be better options than Boston. Ms Kseniia Petrova, a Russian-born Harvard researcher, was stopped by immigration officials at Logan Airport in February on her return from France and accused of attempting to smuggle frog embryos into the country . She was released on bail from federal custody by a Boston judge in June after spending four months in detention but indicted on additional charges later that month. A representative for the Massachusetts Port Authority, which oversees Logan Airport, referred all questions to Harvard. The White House has made Harvard its primary target in its mission to reshape higher education. In addition to the attempted crackdown on international student enrollment, the Trump administration has cancelled more than US$2.6 billion (S$3.2 billion) in research funding for Harvard and threatened its tax-exempt status. The government initially accused the school of fostering anti-Semitism, but the attack has since broadened to include accusations of political bias and criticism of diversity initiatives in hiring and admissions. It's not clear if Harvard students are being treated differently than those at other universities. The Trump administration is appealing the injunction over its ban on Harvard's international student enrolment. BLOOMBERG
News24
30-05-2025
- Health
- News24
Foreign students want to transfer from Harvard over Trump ‘fear, concern, and confusion'
Foreign students at Harvard University have asked about transferring to other institutions. The Trump administration has banned it from hosting foreign students. A judge last week suspended the government's move on Harvard. Harvard University has been flooded with requests from foreign students to transfer to other institutions as US President Donald Trump's administration seeks to ban it from hosting international scholars, a staff member said on Wednesday. 'Too many international students to count have inquired about the possibility of transferring to another institution,' Maureen Martin, director of immigration services, wrote in a court filing. Trump has upended the US' reputation among foreign students, who number around one million, as he presses a campaign against US universities he sees as obstructing his 'Make America Great Again' populist agenda. He has blocked Harvard from hosting international scholars in a manoeuvre being challenged legally, targeted non-citizen campus activists for deportation, and most recently suspended student visa processing across the board. The president's crackdown has prompted 'profound fear, concern, and confusion' among students and staff at the elite university, which has been 'inundated with questions from current international students and scholars about their status and options', Martin wrote. More than 27% of Harvard's enrolment was made up of foreign students in the 2024-25 academic year, according to university data. 'Many international students and scholars are reporting significant emotional distress that is affecting their mental health and making it difficult to focus on their studies,' Martin wrote in the filing. Some were afraid to attend their graduation ceremonies this week or had cancelled travel plans for fear of being refused re-entry into the US, she added. She said that a handful of domestic students at Harvard had also 'expressed serious interest' in transferring elsewhere because they did not want to attend a university with no international students. A judge last week suspended the government's move to block Harvard from enrolling and hosting foreign students after the Ivy League school sued, calling the action unconstitutional. At least 10 foreign students or scholars at Harvard had their visa applications refused immediately after the block on foreign students was announced, including students whose visa applications had already been approved, Martin wrote. 'My current understanding is that the visa applications that were refused or revoked following the Revocation Notice have not yet been approved or reinstated,' despite a judge suspending the move, she said.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump admin starts 30-day countdown on Harvard foreign students
The Trump administration began a 30-day countdown for Harvard to respond on Thursday as it filed a formal notice with federal courts to withdraw the prestigious institution from the federal program allowing the school to accept foreign students. The court filing included a letter sent to Harvard Director of Immigration Services Maureen Martin on Wednesday. 'This notice advises your school of the Student and Exchange Visitor Program's (SEVP) intent to withdraw you school's SEVP certification for failing to comply with the federal regulations detailed below,' the letter begins. The issues named in the letter are: that Harvard failed to comply with reporting requirements that Harvard failed to maintain a campus environment 'free from violence and antisemitism' that there were national security concerns related to Harvard's practices with foreign entities Harvard now has 30 days to provide evidence that it followed the law with respect to the above issues, according to the letter. The filing comes as Harvard and the Trump administration are set to appear in federal court in Boston on Thursday. It also took place the same day as Harvard's commencement ceremony. Read more: Shadow of Trump administration hangs over Harvard University commencement About 27% of Harvard's undergraduate and graduate students are international, according to 2024 to 2025 data. This filing follows letters both earlier this month and in April escalating the Trump administration's position on whether foreign students can be allowed at Harvard. In a statement accompanying last week's letter on the social media platform X, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem wrote that the administration was holding Harvard accountable 'for fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus.' Harvard responded immediately with a 72-page lawsuit against the Trump administration, leading to a federal judge blocking the administration from revoking the certification. 'For those international students and scholars affected by yesterday's action, know that you are vital members of our community,' Harvard President Alan Garber said at the time. 'You are our classmates and friends, our colleagues and mentors, our partners in the work of this great institution. Thanks to you, we know more and understand more, and our country and our world are more enlightened and more resilient. We will support you as we do our utmost to ensure that Harvard remains open to the world.' The Student and Exchange Visitor Program, also known as SEVP, allows higher education institutions to issue visa application forms to prospective international students after admitting them. The forms are used to apply for a visa to enter the United States. The certification requirements include that the school is operational and instructing students, has the necessary facilities and adequate finances to operate, provides instruction to a degree or objective and meets state requirements to operate, according to the Department of Homeland Security website. Read more: Trump is threatening to block international students from Harvard. Is that legal? Institutions are recertified every two years, but can be evaluated at other points in time if they have information suggesting that it isn't complying with regulations. If the certification is taken away, an institution isn't allowed to enroll international students. Current students would have to choose between transferring to another institution, leaving the U.S., or changing their immigration status, according to the ICE website. An example of the certification being stripped occurred at Herguan University in California in 2016 after its CEO pleaded guilty to providing fraudulent documents to the Department of Homeland Security, according to East Bay Times. Harvard has been in a battle with the federal government since April. There has been a wave of federal research grant terminations at Harvard University, in addition to a $60 million in multi-year grants,$450 million cut and a $2.2 billion freeze. U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon has also told the institution that the federal government would be barring Harvard University from acquiring new federal grants while the university continues to refuse to comply with the administration's demands for change on its campus. Harvard President Alan Garber wrote in a letter to U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon that they share the same 'common ground,' but the university 'will not surrender its core, legally-protected principles out of fear.' Garber pushed back on the administration through a lawsuit in April. The institution argues that its constitutional rights had been violated by the government's threats to pull billions of dollars in funding if the school didn't comply with demands for an the $450 million announced cuts, the university amended its lawsuit. 'No government — regardless of which party is in power — should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue,' the suit reads. Due to the federal cuts, Harvard announced that it was committing $250 million of 'central funding' to support research impacted by suspended and canceled federal grants. MassLive reporter Juliet Schulman-Hall contributed to this article. Harvard commencement speaker says it's fitting to 'hear from an immigrant like me' Many foreign students already fleeing Harvard University due to Trump order Protesters pack outside Harvard commencement as families focus on their graduates Shadow of Trump administration hangs over Harvard University commencement Trump proposes a 15% cap on foreign students at Harvard Read the original article on MassLive.
Asharq Al-Awsat
29-05-2025
- Health
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Foreign Students Seek to Quit Harvard amid Trump Crackdown
Harvard University has been flooded with requests from foreign students to transfer to other institutions as US President Donald Trump's administration seeks to ban it from hosting international scholars, a staff member said Wednesday. "Too many international students to count have inquired about the possibility of transferring to another institution," Maureen Martin, director of immigration services, wrote in a court filing. Trump has upended the United States' reputation among foreign students, who number around one million, as he presses a campaign against US universities he sees as obstructing his "Make America Great Again" populist agenda. He has blocked Harvard from hosting international scholars in a maneuver being challenged legally, targeted non-citizen campus activists for deportation, and most recently suspended student visa processing across the board. The president's crackdown has prompted "profound fear, concern, and confusion" among students and staff at the elite university, which has been "inundated with questions from current international students and scholars about their status and options", Martin wrote. More than 27 percent of Harvard's enrollment was made up of foreign students in the 2024-25 academic year, according to university data. "Many international students and scholars are reporting significant emotional distress that is affecting their mental health and making it difficult to focus on their studies," Martin wrote in the filing. Some were afraid to attend their graduation ceremonies this week or had canceled travel plans for fear of being refused re-entry into the United States, she added. She said that a handful of domestic students at Harvard had also "expressed serious interest" in transferring elsewhere because they did not want to attend a university with no international students. A judge last week suspended the government's move to block Harvard from enrolling and hosting foreign students after the Ivy League school sued, calling the action unconstitutional. A hearing into the case was scheduled for Thursday. At least 10 foreign students or scholars at Harvard had their visa applications refused immediately after the block on foreign students was announced, including students whose visa applications had already been approved, Martin wrote. "My current understanding is that the visa applications that were refused or revoked following the Revocation Notice have not yet been approved or reinstated," despite a judge suspending the move, she said.
