Harvard sends international students' records to Trump admin

[WhiskeyGrinder]

https://www.wgbh.org/news/local/2025-05-01/harvard-sends-international-students-records-to-trump-admin

Harvard University shared information about its international students with the Department of Homeland Security, the university disclosed in a letter Wednesday. The news comes two weeks after the agency threatened to revoke Harvard’s ability to host international students if the school did not submit details about students’ disciplinary records and protest participation.

“In our response, the University reiterated our steadfast commitment to sponsor the visas that facilitate our international students’ study at Harvard,” read the letter from Executive Vice President Meredith Weenick. She said the university made it “clear” that it doesn’t seek to withdraw from the Student and Exchange Visitor Program.

In her April 16 letter to Harvard, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem asked the school to provide visa holders’ “known threats to other students or university personnel,” and any action related to students “making threats to other students or populations or participating in protests.” The university’s tax-exempt status and $2.2 billion in federal funding has been in jeopardy as well.

DHS didn’t respond to requests for comment on how it will use the information Harvard has provided, or what specific information the school shared. Harvard declined to answer further questions.

[sinkingfeeling]

1. When did participation in a peaceful protest become illegal? And what law does a DEI policy violate?

[karynnj]

2. Note how Noem adds "participate in protests" to making threats

I would imagine an overwhelming majority of us participated in protests when we were in college. I know that even though I was as much a rule follower as anyone, I went to protests at IU. I seriously doubt anyone in the university administration would or could have listed all of us who ever went to a protest.

The problem here is that IN RETROSPECT they are equating the two. Reading some MAGA responses to Peter Welch and Vermont Public Radio on the student currently free on bail, they not only inaccurately call the student a Hamas supporter and antisemitic which are both not true, but they argue as a "guest" to this country, he can't speak against "its" policies. Yet, I would bet they had no problem with various right wing foreigners speaking against policies of Biden or Obama when they were President - one foreign leader even speaking to a joint session of Congress explicitly against Obama's policies.

[Solly Mack]

3. ...