Three Harvard international students have penned a scathing critique in The Washington Post against U.S. President Donald Trump's recent order barring the university from admitting international students, calling it an assault on free speech and American values.
The authors from Pakistan, Sweden, and Austria warned that speaking out carries "enormous personal risk," citing the arrests of pro-Palestinian activists at Tufts and Columbia under Trump's administration. They accused Trump of using international students as "pawns in an authoritarian game," threatening to derail the futures of thousands if the policy takes effect.
A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Department of Homeland Security from revoking Harvard's certification, but the students warned that if upheld, the ban would prevent international peers from returning this fall, shattering dreams and undermining America's innovation leadership. "If Harvard cannot bring together the world's brightest minds, it ceases to be Harvard," they wrote.
The op-ed slammed Trump's attempts to dictate admissions, curricula, and faculty appointments, noting that academics critical of his policies—from tariffs to vaccine skepticism—face retaliation. "If we start compromising, like handing over protestors' names or firing professors, he'll only demand more. We must fight now, or lose our autonomy," they argued.
The students called for nationwide solidarity among universities, Republican lawmakers, and citizens to reject Trump's "intimidation tactics" and defend free speech. "Silence would betray this nation's ideals," they stressed.
Echoing their stance, The Wall Street Journal editorialized that Trump's move was a "short-sighted attack" on Ivy League institutions, plunging international students into chaos. Critics warn that even if reversed, the damage to U.S. academia's global reputation could take years to repair.
The backlash highlights growing tensions over academic freedom and immigration policies, with Harvard vowing to resist what it calls an existential threat to its mission.
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