President Donald Trump is demanding that Harvard University hand over a list of its foreign students, claiming that the U.S. government deserves to know who they are since “no foreign government contributes money to Harvard. We do. We want a list of those foreign students and we’ll find out whether or not they’re okay.”
Speaking to reporters at Morristown Airport on May 26, Trump criticized the school for having what he said was an unacceptably high number of international students.
“I’m not going to have a problem with foreign students but it shouldn’t be 31%. It’s too much,” he said. “We have Americans that want to go there, and they can’t because of all the foreign students.”
He also linked his comments to broader accusations against the university. “They’re very anti-Semitic. Everybody knows they’re anti-Semitic. And that’s got to stop immediately,” Trump said.
The Government Already Has the Info
But critics were quick to point out that Trump’s demand is unnecessary and misleading.
The U.S. government already tracks every international student who enters the country through the well-established F-1 visa program.
Under current immigration law, all international students must be enrolled in approved programs and report to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
They also must meet academic and financial requirements and are monitored throughout their stay in the country.
“The Constitution applies to all persons,” immigration attorney Joshua Bardavid told The New York Times.
“Even people who are undocumented have basic and constitutional due process rights.”
Spike in Visa Revocations
Still, recent weeks have seen a surge in student visa crackdowns, especially under Trump administration policies targeting immigrants.
Some international students have had their visas revoked suddenly, and in some cases, without clear explanations.
At Columbia University, a Fulbright scholar from India fled to Canada after losing her visa.
At Tufts University, a Turkish grad student was detained by federal agents following pressure from a right-wing group.
Rubio Orders Social Media Scrutiny
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has ordered U.S. diplomats to review the social media activity of visa applicants, especially looking for criticism of the United States or Israel.
Rubio claims the State Department has already revoked more than 300 visas and continues to do so daily.
Constant Uncertainty for Students
Despite constitutional protections, foreign students live with constant uncertainty. Even legal activity, like joining a protest or posting online, can result in scrutiny.
And as immigration lawyer Joseph Lento told the Times, it’s incredibly rare for a student to win an appeal after their visa is revoked.
Trump’s suggestion that Harvard is hiding something by not turning over a list of students ignores the reality: The federal government already knows who these students are.
And the escalating rhetoric may only add to the fear already spreading through U.S. campuses.
“They’re terrified. They’re unsettled,” said Fanta Aw, CEO of NAFSA, an international education group.
“Some of them are asking themselves, ‘Should I remain here, knowing there is so much uncertainty, or is it best that I just go home?'”