‘An Unacceptable Risk’: Trump Signs Proclamation To Stop Foreign Students From Enrolling At Harvard

President Donald Trump took official action on Wednesday to halt the enrollment of foreign students at Harvard University for at least six months as the ongoing battle between the Trump administration and the Ivy League school intensifies.

A proclamation signed by the president states that “it is necessary to restrict the entry of foreign nationals who seek to enter the United States solely or principally to participate in a course of study at Harvard University or in an exchange visitor program hosted by Harvard University.” Trump accuses Harvard of refusing to comply with the federal government and hand over data on “instances of misconduct and criminality committed by its foreign students,” calling Harvard’s refusal “an unacceptable risk.”

“Harvard provided data on misconduct by only three students, and the data it provided was so deficient that the DHS could not evaluate whether it should take further actions,” Trump’s proclamation states. “Harvard’s actions show that it either is not fully reporting its disciplinary records for foreign students or is not seriously policing its foreign students. In my judgment, these actions and failures directly undermine the Federal Government’s ability to ensure that foreign nationals admitted on student or exchange visitor visas remain in compliance with Federal law.”

“These concerns have compelled the Federal Government to conclude that Harvard University is no longer a trustworthy steward of international student and exchange visitor programs,” the proclamation continues.

Trump’s proclamation comes two weeks after the Department of Homeland Security notified Harvard that its participation in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program had been revoked. Days later, Secretary of State Marco Rubio directed U.S. embassies to freeze exchange student visa appointments for all applicants. Last week, however, Harvard won its initial court fight against the Trump administration over the issue when a district court judge blocked Trump from stopping the enrollment of foreign students at Harvard. Foreign students account for around 25% of those enrolled at the Ivy League school, according to The New York Times.

The president’s latest action cites presidential authority “to suspend the entry of all aliens or any class of aliens” if he “finds that the entry of any aliens or of any class of aliens into the United States would be detrimental to the interests of the United States.” Trump’s proclamation suspends Harvard’s Student Exchange Visa Program and directs the Secretary of State to look into whether foreign nationals currently enrolled at Harvard “should have their visas revoked.” The suspension of foreign student enrollment will expire after six months, but it could be extended longer, according to Trump’s proclamation.

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A Harvard spokesman called Trump’s move “yet another illegal retaliatory step taken by the Administration in violation of Harvard’s First Amendment rights,” The Wall Street Journal reported.

“Harvard will continue to protect its international students,” the spokesman added.

In his proclamation, Trump specifically calls out China for attempting “to take advantage of American higher education by exploiting the student visa program for improper purposes and by using visiting students to collect information at elite universities in the United States.” In the past five years, Harvard has received more than $150 million from foreign governments, with most of that funding coming from the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, according to The Harvard Crimson. “Sources from China” have also contributed tens of millions of dollars to Harvard in recent years.

The president’s latest moves intensify his administration’s battle with Harvard, a school he has called “Anti-Semitic,” “Far-Left,” and “a threat to Democracy.” The fight began over the university’s failure to crack down on anti-Semitism on campus and its promotion of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and the Trump administration has now stripped more than $2 billion in federal funding for Harvard, sparking a major legal battle.