Latest news with #SEVP
NDTV
5 hours ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Harvard President's Trump Dig Gets Standing Ovation During Graduation Event
Harvard University's Class of 2025 graduated on Thursday amid a deepening standoff between the university and the Trump administration over foreign student admissions. The ceremony saw Harvard President Alan M Garber deliver a veiled but firm message against recent federal actions, earning him a standing ovation from graduates and attendees. Alan Garber, speaking at the historic Tercentenary Theatre in Harvard Yard, addressed the global makeup of the university's student body. "To the Class of 2025, from down the street, across the country, and around the world. Around the world, just as it should be," he said, in a pointed response to US President Donald Trump's moves to restrict international enrollments. BREAKING: At the Harvard Graduation Ceremony moments ago, Harvard President Alan M. Garber just got a standing ovation after taking a subtle shot at President Trump. "To the class of 2025, from down the street, across the country and around the world. AROUND THE WORLD! JUST AS… — Ed Krassenstein (@EdKrassen) May 29, 2025 Alan M Garber, 69, a Harvard alum with a PhD and MD from Stanford, became Interim President in 2024 after Claudine Gay's exit over pro-Palestine protest backlash. His remarks came days after the Trump administration revoked Harvard's certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Programme (SEVP), halting its ability to admit new foreign students, a move affecting around 6,800 international students. This followed an earlier freeze on $2.2 billion in federal grants, citing Harvard's refusal to scrap diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programmes and screen students for ideological bias. Harvard filed a federal lawsuit, calling the move a "blatant violation" of free speech and due process. A judge temporarily blocked the ban, and the White House extended Harvard's deadline to contest the decision from 72 hours to 30 days. Defending the crackdown, Trump told reporters, "Harvard has got to behave themselves," and floated a 15 per cent cap on non-US students. The administration has also accused Harvard of fostering antisemitism, campus unrest, and ties to the Chinese Communist Party, claims the university has firmly denied. The State Department has ordered stricter vetting of all Harvard-bound individuals worldwide, including students and visitors. Visa officers, guided by Secretary Rubio, must review social media and can deny visas for limited or private online activity. "If you are coming here to create problems, you're probably going to have a problem," Rubio said at a press briefing last month. Rubio also revealed that he has revoked hundreds, possibly thousands, of visas over concerns that individuals were engaged in behaviour contrary to US foreign policy.
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Judge expands order protecting Harvard from Trump block on enrolling international students
A US federal judge will issue an injunction blocking the Trump administration's efforts to prevent Harvard University from enrolling international students. The university was in court seeking to extend a temporary order blocking the Trump administration from revoking the school's right to host international students. The judge, Allison Burroughs, had issued an emergency block last week after the administration abruptly announced it would cancel Harvard's ability to host international students – the latest and most severe escalation in the administration's battle against higher education institutions. As graduation ceremonies were under way on campus, lawyers for the university argued in federal court in Boston that the revocation announced by the government last week violates the US constitution's free speech and due process rights as well as procedural law regulating government actions. In a packed court room with several international students in attendance, Burroughs said she wanted to 'maintain the status quo' while the case makes its way through the courts. In court documents filed on Wednesday, the director of immigration services at the university's international office said that the administration's announcement has caused 'profound fear, concern, and confusion' among faculty and students. '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,' she wrote. 'Some are afraid to attend their own graduation ceremonies this week out of fear that some immigration-related action will be taken against them.' Related: Trump administration halts Harvard's ability to enroll international students On Thursday, shortly before the hearing, the Department of Homeland Security formally notified Harvard that it would withdraw the university's certification under the federal Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), the system that allows universities to enroll non-US students. But the move, which gave the university 30 days to contest the revocation through an administrative process, indicated it was backtracking from the immediate revocation the administration announced last week. In a statement, the department's head, Kristi Noem, doubled down on her allegations against Harvard, which she has accused of 'pro-terrorist conduct', 'encouraging and allowing antisemitic and anti-American violence' and of 'coordinating with Chinese Communist Party officials on training that undermined American national security'. 'Harvard's refusal to comply with SEVP oversight was the latest evidence that it disdains the American people and takes for granted U.S. taxpayer benefits,' Noem added. If allowed to stand, the administration's action against Harvard would affect a quarter of the university's population: approximately 5,000 current students, as well as 2,000 recent graduates enrolled in optional practical training, a post-graduation work programme. Harvard maintains that the administration's decision is retaliation for the university's refusal to abide by a series of overly broad demands made by the Trump administration that would severely undermine the university's independence. The administration had demanded Harvard turn over information about its international students, including discipline records as well as student's addresses, contact information and details about their coursework. It announced the revocations after it said the university failed to comply. In April, the university became the first to sue the administration over billions in cuts to federally funded research – setting off a showdown with the White House, which earlier this week announced it would cancel all remaining government contracts with the university. In total, the administration has cut or frozen about $3bn in federal grants and contracts with Harvard. Those cuts have already upended crucial medical and scientific research initiatives, but the latest attack on international students had spread panic among thousands of current and incoming international students – with many seeking last minute transfers to other universities, canceling summer travel plans for fear of not being able to return, or reconsidering plans to study in the US altogether. Some foreign universities have also seized on the crisis, looking to recruit Harvard students away from the US. 'International students and scholars are tremendous assets that contribute to US preeminence in innovation, research, and economic strength,' said Fanta Aw, executive director and CEO of Nafsa, the Association of International Educators. 'Undermining their ability to study here is self-defeating. With these actions, the United States will alienate the very minds that fuel its success.'
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Trump says foreign students welcome, slams Harvard for being ‘very anti-semitic'
US President Donald Trump, during a news conference in the Oval Office on Friday, said he supports international students attending US colleges, while clarifying he opposes those who are 'causing trouble.' Singling out Harvard University—under scrutiny in both public opinion and court battles—Trump pointed out that nearly 30 per cent of its students are foreign. 'Our country has given $5 billion plus to Harvard over a short period of time,' he said. 'Nobody knew that. We found that out. I wouldn't say that was a [Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)] thing, but we found that out over a period of time, that was sort of a Trump thing.' The remarks come amid a larger legal fight over Harvard's SEVP (Student and Exchange Visitor Program) certification, which allows the university to sponsor foreign students. Trump attributed the dispute to what he called the university's 'very anti-semitic' stance. US District Judge Allison D. Burroughs on Thursday upheld an order blocking the Trump administration from revoking Harvard's SEVP certification. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem echoed administration concerns, accusing Harvard of 'fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus.' 'We're having it out with them, and let's see what happens,' Trump said. 'I think we have a very good, well, it's a very sad case. It's a case we win. We can't lose that case because we have the right to make grants. We're not going to make any grants like that.' .@POTUS on international students: 'We want to have great students here. We just don't want students that are causing trouble.' — Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 30, 2025 Trump went on to criticise Harvard, contrasting it with other institutions: 'They've acted very well, and there are other institutions, too, that are acting, but Harvard's trying to be a big shot,' Trump said. 'And all that happens is every three days, we find another $100 million that was given.' Two days earlier, Trump had claimed the administration discovered an additional $200 million in grants to Harvard. 'The money's given to them like gravy,' he said. As an alternative, Trump advocated for a shift in funding priorities: 'I'd like to see the money go to trade schools where people learn how to fix motors and engines, where people learn how to build rocket ships,' he said. 'Because, you know, somebody has to build those rocket ships.' 'Yep,' Elon Musk, who stepped down from DOGE on Friday, chimed in from beside the president's desk. 'I'd like to see trade schools set up, because you could take $5 billion plus hundreds of billions more, which is what's spent, and you could have the greatest trade school system anywhere in the world,' Trump continued. 'That's what we need to build his rockets and robots and things that he's doing, and to build lots of other things.' He shared a personal anecdote: 'I went to school with people that could fix the engine of a car better than anybody I've ever seen,' he said. 'Take it apart blindfolded. It's a very skilled job.' 'I'd like to see a lot of money going into trade schools. I've always felt that, and we probably found our pot of gold, and that's what's been wasted at places like Harvard.'
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump says he wants foreign students who don't 'cause trouble,' slams Harvard for being 'a big shot'
President Donald Trump during a news conference in the Oval Office on Friday, said he is in favor of allowing international students on U.S. college campuses, clarifying he is against welcoming students who are "causing trouble." Singling out Harvard University, which has come under fire in both public opinion and the courts, Trump noted nearly 30% of its students are foreign. "Our country has given $5 billion plus to Harvard over a short period of time," he said. "Nobody knew that. We found that out. I wouldn't say that was a [Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)] thing, but we found that out over a period of time, that was sort of a Trump thing." Trump Is Down But Not Out In Court Battle Over Harvard's Foreign Student Visas During ongoing litigation, which the president attributed to the university being "very anti-semitic," he said the administration found out that the government gave them more than $5 billion in funding. U.S. District Judge Allison D. Burroughs on Thursday upheld a court order blocking the Trump administration from revoking Harvard's certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), which allows the university to sponsor international students for U.S. visas. Read On The Fox News App Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem cited Harvard's alleged pattern of "fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus," in calls for the repeal of Harvard's SEVP certification. "We're having it out with them, and let's see what happens," Trump said. "I think we have a very good, well, it's a very sad case. It's a case we win. We can't lose that case because we have the right to make grants. We're not going to make any grants like that." He went on to say Harvard has not "been acting very nicely," and argued other institutions like Columbia University in New York City "want to get to the bottom of the problem." "They've acted very well, and there are other institutions, too, that are acting, but Harvard's trying to be a big shot," Trump said. "And all that happens is every three days, we find another $100 million that was given." Two days ago, the president said his administration had found an additional $200 million in grants given to Harvard. "The money's given to them like gravy," he said. State Department Now Scrutinizing All Visa Holders Associated With Harvard Offering an alternative, Trump said he would like to see the money go toward creating the world's best trade school system. "I'd like to see the money go to trade schools where people learn how to fix motors and engines, where people learn how to build rocket ships," he said. "Because, you know, somebody has to build those rocket ships." "Yep," Elon Musk, who departed DOGE on Friday, chimed in from beside the president's desk. "I'd like to see trade schools set up, because you could take $5 billion plus hundreds of billions more, which is what's spent, and you could have the greatest trade school system anywhere in the world," Trump continued. "That's what we need to build his rockets and robots and things that he's doing, and to build lots of other things." Trump Admin Working To Fly Back Guatemalan Migrant Erroneously Deported From Us He added he went to school with peers who could "fix the engine of a car better than anybody I've ever seen" and "take it apart blindfolded." Jarod Coffman, owner of the Colorado-based business Coffman Construction, told "Fox & Friends First" on Tuesday that houses built in the U.S. are the most expensive they have ever been, yet the contractors building the homes are the least educated they have ever been. "We are at a little bit of a turning point where there are schools starting to re-implement trade programs into them, which is good, but a lot of them are facing budget issues, so actually I could really see this being a beneficial thing," Coffman said. He added it would address the housing deficit, while decreasing costs and providing education. "It's a very skilled job," Trump said. "I'd like to see a lot of money going into trade schools. I've always felt that, and we probably found our pot of gold, and that's what's been wasted at places like Harvard." Harvard did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. Fox News Digital's Breanne Deppisch and Taylor Penley contributed to this article source: Trump says he wants foreign students who don't 'cause trouble,' slams Harvard for being 'a big shot'
Middle East Eye
2 days ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Judge rules in favour of Harvard University keeping its international students
Harvard University on Thursday won a brief reprieve in its fight to continue enrolling international students after a federal judge upheld a block on a governmental order. US district judge Allison Burroughs ruled to uphold the terms of a temporary restraining order (TRO), which froze the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) revocation of the university's student and exchange visitor programme (SEVP) certification programme, the process that enables universities to enrol foreigners, and preserved the status of international students. The news came as Harvard's Class of 2025 was assembling for commencement exercises. The order grants relief to around 7,000 international students - a quarter of Harvard's student body - whose lives have been thrown into limbo over the last few weeks. 'Harvard will continue to take steps to protect the rights of our international students and scholars, members of our community who are vital to the University's academic mission and community - and whose presence here benefits our country immeasurably,' Harvard said in a public statement about Thursday's court decision. Burroughs indicated that she will issue a longer-term hold while litigation continues. This would enable international students, staff, and faculty to continue to study and work at the Ivy League school. The TRO will stay in place until a broader injunction is agreed upon. The next hearing has yet to be scheduled. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Last Thursday, DHS told Harvard that its international students must either transfer to other institutions or face deportation, as its continued fight for academic autonomy faced another round of repercussions from the Trump administration. Harvard sued in response, and last Friday, a judge temporarily blocked the DHS's revocation of the university's SEVP programme. Trump administration backtracks Before the order, the Trump administration appeared to waver on its initial decertification, potentially on procedural grounds. The Department of Homeland Security said on Thursday it would now give Harvard University a 30-day response time to prove it meets the requirements of the SEVP programme. After 30 days, the DHS could still revoke Harvard's SEVP certification if it still claims that Harvard broke the law, unless a preliminary injunction is granted. The New York Times reported last week that the administration is poised to cut all remaining federal contracts with Harvard, which are estimated to be worth $100m. The two sides have been in a legal war for months now. The US State Department and DHS began cracking down on any pro-Palestinian sentiment expressed by student visa holders in the US after the nationwide campus protests in 2024 in support of Gaza. At the end of March, the Trump administration announced it was reviewing $9bn in federal funds and grants to Harvard. It said it would review more than $255.6m in current contracts and $8.7bn in grants spread over multiple years. The administration accused the university of failing to adequately protect Jewish students on campus from antisemitic discrimination and harassment, in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. 'Are they troublemakers?': Trump questions why Harvard has so many international students Read More » On 3 April, the Trump administration sent an initial list of demands to 'right these wrongs', as part of its crackdown on what it calls antisemitism on campuses across the US, referring to the widespread campus protests against Israel's war on Gaza. Then, on 11 April, the Federal Task Force to Combat Antisemitism sent Harvard an expanded list of demands. Harvard rejected the government's demands, which included reporting foreign students for code violations, reforming its governance and leadership, discontinuing its diversity, equity, and inclusion programmes, and changing its hiring and admission policies, especially for international students. In response to the list of demands, the institution took a stand against the Trump administration, saying in a letter, issued by Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP and King & Spalding LLP, that 'The university will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights'. In response, the Trump administration hit Harvard with a $2.3bn federal funding freeze, which represents 35.9 percent of Harvard's $6.4bn operating expenses. Then, the US Department of Health and Human Services said that it was terminating $60m in federal grants to the university, saying it failed to address antisemitic harassment and ethnic discrimination on campus. The Cambridge, Massachusetts-based institution has said it 'cannot absorb the entire cost' of the frozen grants, and that it was working with researchers to help them find alternative funding. It is also suing the Trump administration over its decision to cut grants. The Federal Task Force to Combat Antisemitism is made up of four government agencies, including the Department of Justice, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Education, and the US General Services Administration. The task force was set up in February following Trump's executive order, Additional Measures to Combat Anti-Semitism, signed at the end of January.
