Education turning into tool for political retribution in U.S.

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The U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Thursday revoked Harvard University's program to enroll international students.

The Trump administration justified its decision by alleging that Harvard has fostered an "unsafe" campus environment by allowing "pro-terrorist agitators" targeting Jewish students and has also colluded with the Communist Party of China by training members of a Chinese paramilitary group as recently as 2024.

Interestingly, the agency made the claims without presenting any evidence.

Apparently, these accusations are part of the administration's broader campaign targeting elite universities perceived as insufficiently aligned with its political agenda. Harvard has also faced threats to its federal funding and tax-exempt status, indicating a pattern of punitive measures designed to coerce compliance.

The clash between Harvard and the U.S. government has escalated since the university became the first to openly resist the Trump administration's demands for reforms in schools labeled as "hotbeds" of antisemitism and liberal bias.

Thursday's decision arises from an April 16 directive by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who requested information on international students potentially involved in protests that could result in their deportation.

Commenting that Thursday's decision is "the unfortunate result of Harvard's failure to comply with simple reporting requirements," Noem said the university can still host international students if it produces all records within 72 hours. "Let this serve as a warning to all universities and academic institutions across the country," Noem warned.

Clearly, by barring Harvard from enrolling international students, the Trump administration is coercing elite universities to comply with its unjustified demands. With the ability to directly revoke students' legal status, including their student visas, the U.S. government is turning what was once an administrative database into a tool of enforcement.

"Trump's attack on international students is text book authoritarianism – Harvard must continue to hold the line," members of Harvard College Democrats, an independent student-run organization at Harvard, said in a statement, criticizing the administration for playing with students' lives to stifle dissent.

This incident at Harvard is emblematic of a wider trend in the U.S., where education has become a battleground for cultural and political conflicts. From disputes over curricula to attacks on academic freedom, conservative political forces have been increasingly seeking to control educational content and governance, often framing their moves as protecting students from ideological indoctrination.

The ultimate purpose of education is to equip students with critical thinking skills and knowledge. Regrettably, it is now being weaponized as a tool for political retribution or ideological conformity in the United States. Such politicization risks fragmenting the country's educational landscape, eroding trust in institutions, and stifling the free exchange of ideas essential for a healthy democracy.

It is also worth noting that Harvard admits almost 6,800 foreign students coming from over 100 countries – more than a quarter of its student body. These students contribute not only culturally but also financially – many pay full tuition, supporting university budgets and enabling broader educational opportunities.

During the 2023/2024 academic year, these students contributed $384 million to the U.S. economy, sustaining around 3,900 jobs through their expenditures on housing, food, retail and other services, according to NAFSA, the Association of International Educators.

Worse still, curtailing Harvard's ability to enroll international students risks freezing international academic collaboration. Harvard's global reputation is tied to its openness. Thursday's move sends the message that ideological and political considerations can override academic merit and institutional autonomy. This undermines the trust and goodwill that enable cross-border research partnerships and student exchanges essential for solving global challenges.

To Make America Great Again, the Trump administration is expected to work collaboratively with universities, preserving the openness that makes them global leaders – rather than wielding immigration and funding as tools of political coercion.

The Trump administration attempts to "shift the ideological tilt of the higher education system, which they see as hostile to conservatives and intent on perpetuating liberalism," The New York Times said in a commentary. In the eyes of Trump's advisers, "leftists have seized control of America's most powerful institutions, including pillars of higher education, and wresting back power is key to the future of Western civilization."

Shouting "Make America Great Again," the Trump administration is using education as a tool to accumulate their political capital and crack down upon rivals – at the sacrifice of their country's prosperity and global standing.

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