Trump Ignores Harvard Court Ruling

CAMBRIDGE, SUNDAY - United States President Donald Trump disregarded the temporary decision of the federal court. Trump defended the actions of Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem in revoking Harvard's permit to accept foreign students.

"Why doesn't Harvard mention that nearly 31 percent of its students come from foreign countries? However, those countries, some of which are completely unfriendly to the U.S., do not pay anything for their students' education, and they have never intended to do so," said Trump on Truth Social, as quoted by the AFP news agency, Sunday (25/5/2025).

"We want to know who these foreign students are. It is a reasonable request because we have given billions of US dollars to Harvard, but Harvard is not fully transparent," Trump added.

On Thursday (22/5/2025), the US government revoked Harvard University's permit to accept foreign students. They also threatened the same action against other universities.

The decision was announced in Washington DC by US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. "Harvard must cancel its foreign student and exchange student programs for the 2025/2026 academic year," she stated.

According to Noem, Harvard supports acts of violence, exhibits antisemitic attitudes, and collaborates with the Communist Party of China. Harvard has 6,800 international students for the 2024/2025 academic year, which accounts for 27 percent of the total student population.

The majority of foreign students come from China. In addition, they are from Canada, India, South Korea, the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, Singapore, and Japan. In total, Harvard accommodates students from 140 countries.

The US government has asked Harvard to hand over student data within 72 hours. If the data of foreign students is provided, the permit will be restored.

Harvard refuses to provide student data and is suing the federal government in court. Harvard is suing the U.S. Government on the grounds of violating the First Amendment of the Constitution and the Administrative Procedure Act.

"This is an important step to protect the rights of students and foreign academic staff," said Harvard President Alan Garber in a written statement quoted by ABC.

On Friday (5/23/2025), Federal Court Judge Allison Burroughs issued a temporary order. In essence, Trump is not allowed to expel foreign students.

Garber on the official Harvard website stated that the court has granted Harvard's motion. This decision allows the university to continue accepting international students and scholars while this case is ongoing.

“This (decision) is an important step to protect the rights and opportunities of our international students and scholars, which are vital to the mission and community of the University,” Garber wrote.

He added that many may have concerns and additional questions. However, he stated that he would continue to provide the latest information through the Harvard International Office.

Moreover, the next hearing schedule has been set for Thursday (29/5/2025). The upcoming hearing will be held to determine the continuation of the temporary order, whether it needs to be extended or not.

Trump's view that campuses support acts of violence, exhibit antisemitism, and collaborate with the Communist Party of China has led U.S. immigration officials to frequently visit campuses. They question foreign students about documents such as passports and student visas.

One of the Indonesian students who has graduated from Harvard, Maria Cellina Wijaya, stated in an interview on Friday (23/5/2025) that during her time in the United States, she often saw immigration officers searching for international students on campuses. They questioned the students' documents.

Students who cannot directly show the documents requested by immigration officers will be immediately detained. To be on the safe side, the Indonesian Embassy and Consulate General often urge students to bring documents such as passports and student visa documents.

With the case still ongoing, the fate of Indonesian students at Harvard remains unclear. As of Sunday night, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not responded to inquiries regarding the stance of the Indonesian Government on Trump's decision and the fate of Indonesian students. There has been no official statement from the Indonesian Government to address the current situation at Harvard University.

Anxiety and uncertainty have engulfed new students at Harvard from Taiwan. Yu-hsuan Lin is ready to depart for Harvard this coming September. However, the Trump administration's decision to revoke Harvard University's permit to accept foreign students has left her feeling anxious and powerless.

"The road to my dream is actually more difficult and heavier than I expected. There are so many uncertainties," said Yu-hsuan.

The Taiwanese Ministry of Education, as reported by the Central News Agency, has estimated that 52 Taiwanese students will be affected by the actions of the US Government. (AFP/REUTERS)