Foreign Students at Harvard Are Scared and Stuck After U.S. Ban

 

What’s happening?

Harvard University is facing a major issue. The U.S. government, under the Trump administration, has stopped Harvard from enrolling international students. This decision is impacting thousands of students globally.

Why is this a problem?

Many students, like Shreya Mishra Reddy from India, may not be able to graduate or continue their studies. She told her family she might not graduate this July because of the new rules.

“It’s very hard for my family to hear,” she said.

Harvard has called the move “unlawful” and may take legal action.

How many students are affected?

• 6,800 international students study at Harvard.
• More than 700 students are from India, while about one-third come from China.
• These students now don’t know if they can stay or study.

What are students saying?

Abdullah Shahid Sial, a student from Pakistan, says:

“This isn’t what we agreed to at all.”

He called the situation “ridiculous and dehumanizing.”

Other students say they are scared and don’t know what to do. Some may lose their visas, miss graduation, or be forced to leave the U.S..

A student from South Korea said she’s afraid to visit home because she might not be allowed back in.

Why is the government doing this?

The Trump administration says Harvard broke U.S. law and even accused the school of working with the Chinese government. China has denied this and called the ban political and unfair.

The government also froze $3 billion in federal grants for Harvard.

This comes after many pro-Palestinian protests on U.S. campuses. Some schools are now being investigated or losing support from the government.

What does Harvard say?

Harvard said:

“We are dedicated to providing full support to our international students. They enrich the university and the nation.”

What happens now?

Some students may have to transfer to other schools or leave the U.S. Many are unsure what comes next.

Jiang Fangzhou, a student at the Harvard Kennedy School, said:

“People have homes, leases, friends here. We can’t just walk away overnight.”

Source: BBC