President Donald Trump has called for the names and countries of all international students at Harvard University. Trump posted the request the morning of Sunday, May 25 on Truth Social.
“Why isn’t Harvard saying that almost 31% of their students are from FOREIGN LANDS, and yet those countries, some not at all friendly to the United States, pay NOTHING toward their student’s (sic) education, nor do they ever intend to,” Trump wrote. “Nobody told us that!”
Trump added that the request is “reasonable since we give Harvard BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.”
The post follows a letter sent by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on May 22, which announced that Harvard’s participation in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program would be terminated “effective immediately.” Noem said the move would “send a clear signal to Harvard and all universities that want to enjoy the privilege of enrolling foreign students, that the Trump Administration will enforce the law and root out the evils of anti-Americanism and antisemitism in society and campuses.”
On May 23, a federal judge blocked the order. The ruling came just hours after Harvard announced it was suing the administration over the directive. The judge issued a temporary restraining order against Trump’s directive, allowing it to remain blocked as the case proceeds in court.
U.S. District Court Judge Allison Burroughs wrote in her ruling that Harvard argued Trump’s order would “sustain immediate and irreparable injury before there is an opportunity to hear from all parties. Thus, a TRO is justified to preserve the status quo pending a hearing, and the Plaintiff’s Motion is GRANTED.” A hearing has been set for next Thursday, May 29, to determine whether the temporary order should be extended.
According to Harvard’s lawsuit, the school has more than 7,000 visa holders who make up 27% of the student body.
Fox News reported that at least a dozen Harvard students have had their student visas revoked over campus protest activity. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said before Congress on Tuesday that the administration has probably revoked thousands already and would “proudly” revoke more.