Two years ago, a Slovak student Mário was given the most important letter in his life, which every secondary school student longs for – a decision to be admitted to a university. He packed up his stuff, said goodbye to his family and went to study to the United States. He was hoping that his title from the prestigious school would not endanger anything.
At least that was his idea two years ago, when he joined the American school before President Donald Trump did not announce a regulation that blocked access to almost all foreign students of Harvard University. But it can endanger the study of any foreign student at other universities. Including the University of Pennsylvania, where Mário is studying.
Last week, Trump issued a regulation that blocked joining the US for almost all foreign students who wanted to go to Harvad’s university, the oldest in the US. Trump said that the admission of Harvard students would endanger national security. At the same time, foreign students are almost a quarter of a total number of students of the prestigious school.
They will now not only lose students, but also for a significant part of their income from tuition fees.
“I have found that the entry of the above -mentioned foreigners is harmful to the interests of the United States, because, in my opinion, Harvard’s behavior makes it an inappropriate place for foreign students and researchers,” Trump wrote in Wednesday’s presidential decree.
“The atmosphere among international students is quite stressful,” says Slovak student Mario for Aktuality.sk.
Slovak student: We may not finish school
Combined with other trump administration attempts, including freezing of research grants of more than $ 3 billion and suspending the registration of foreign students to Harvard – represent Trump’s Frontal attack on one of the most prestigious and richest US university institutions.
Although the courts are likely to abolish some of these measures – and some have already been suspended – their influence will be felt by the whole US higher education.
The blocking of the entrance to the country will affect up to 7,000 current foreign students. The prohibition also applies to all newly argued foreign students. The only exception will be unique cases, which, according to the Government Assessment “, will be” in the national interest “.
The question is whether the visas will be canceled even those students who are already studying at Harvard University. Foreign Minister Marco Rubio will decide to what extent to many students who have reached a lucrative school delayed the title. The regulation is valid for six months, within 90 days the government decides whether it will extend it.
“There is also a chance that we will not complete a school that is very difficult to get and go through a demanding visa process,” adds student Mario Valek. “I certainly respect the decisions of the US government to take visas to students who do some illegal activity. But to ban really keen children to study at private institutions that profit from international talent, I find it cruel and inefficiently for all parties,” he concludes.
This year, it enters the third year at the University of Pennsylvania, where the federal government canceled the visa and terminated the immigration status of eight people. At his university, on the street and in its circles, he perceives pressure – but he is still at Harvada University.
Among her graduates is a range of well -known people – from Presidents Barack Obama or John F. Kennedy to Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.
Retaliation
The struggle between the richest university in the country and the Trump administration began at the end of May. The Federal Court of Boston has blocked the efforts of the Ministry of Internal Security to ban international students with Harvard.
Trump’s administration asked Harvard various changes – the abolition of diversity programs, examination of students or changes in the leadership. According to her, the school is “the center of liberalism” and has also accused it of tolerating anti -Semitism. Trump leaned on the propalestinian demonstrations at the university, which took place after the beginning of the Israeli war in the Gaza Strip.
Harvard listened to the demands, but refused to interfere with the university’s autonomy and threaten the freedom of all American universities. Harvard also considers Trump’s return to be a “retaliation” due to the intensity and tension of the situation.
“This is another illegal retaliatory step that the (Trump) administration has taken in violation of the rights of Harvard guaranteed by the first amendment to the Constitution. Harvard will continue to protect his foreign students,” said Harvard spokesman.
The tense situation was also escalated by the decision of Trump’s administration to reduce the University of Grants for research by more than $ 2.6 billion. AP also recalls the threatening of the university by terminating all contracts.
Harvard officials said the efforts of Trump’s administration to prevent Harvard from receiving foreign students have created an environment of “deep fear, fear and confusion”. Countless foreign students asked about the transfer from the university, said the Director of Immigration Services by
“According to my information, the ban on all foreign students in Harvard, regardless of the study studied,” describes the situation for Aktuality.sk Head of the Department of International Relations and European Studies of Masaryk University, Zdeněk Kříž.
The US administration will begin to check visa applicants already on social networks. They will check everyone who is still planning to study, work or just visit Harvard University – in order to detect any manifestations of anti -Semitism.
The US Department of Foreign Affairs has noticed US embassies and consulates at the end of May.
