Harvard University's scrutiny: Ilya Shapiro suggests a methodical approach from Team Trump to analyze and address any issues
The Trump administration is waging a legal battle with Harvard University over foreign student enrollment, as discussed on 'America's Newsroom' by legal editor Kerri Urbahn. This dispute revolves around three key arguments the administration has put forth.
First, the administration asserts that Harvard has not fully complied with requests for information regarding international students, including disciplinary records. This alleged non-compliance is grounds for revoking Harvard's Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification.
Second, the Trump administration accuses Harvard of fostering violence, antisemitism, and collaborating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus.
Third, the administration is concerned about national loyalty, with President Trump expressing his desire to ensure foreign students "can love our country."
Beyond these points, the administration has also argued that the privilege of enrolling foreign students should not be considered a right, and universities benefit financially from the higher tuition payments these students make.
In a recent development, a judge temporarily prevented the administration from revoking Harvard's SEVP certification, citing concerns about the legality of the demands made by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. The ostensible basis for this action—non-compliance with information requests—has raised questions about its compliance with the relevant regulations.
Harvard, which has over 27% foreign students, is seen by the administration as exemplifying the problems with American higher education, with its high-profile opposition to administration policies making it a fitting target. Yet, if the administration's approach relies too heavily on public demonstrations of force, it risks losing in the court of law, regardless of the ultimate outcome.
As my colleague Chris Rufo has written, the administration should focus on changing incentives, rewriting laws, and depersonalizing its enforcement actions to bring about lasting change, rather than making spectacles for public consumption.
- In the ongoing dispute between the Trump administration and Harvard University, the administration's opinion on education-and-self-development institutions is evident, as they accuse Harvard of fostering violence, antisemitism, and collaboration with the Chinese Communist Party.
- The Trump administration's stance on politics and foreign student enrollment was tested recently, as a judge temporarily prevented the administration from revoking Harvard's SEVP certification, citing concerns about the legality of the demands made by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, leading to questions about compliance with relevant regulations.
