After the Trump administration's visa ban
What TUM students are experiencing at Harvard
She wishes to remain anonymous. Others who are currently studying or working at Harvard University no longer respond to inquiries. This is understandable, as attracting negative attention from the U.S. government could result in the loss of one's visa. The young woman talking to us is studying in a master's program at the . Until a few days ago, she was a visiting researcher as part of a study program at Harvard Business School. She came to the USA at the beginning of the year with a "J1 Student Internship" visa, i.e. a residence permit for a student internship. Harvard had already recommended that she entered the country before Trump's inauguration on January 20. "It was anticipated early on that there could be difficulties."
However, when entering the country, it also depends on which border officials you meet. The TUM student left and re-entered the country once over Easter. "The border officer was very friendly and congratulated me on Harvard." But she had also heard of completely different experiences. She has since left the country, a plan she had already made earlier.
Uncertainty and panic
Since Trump took office, there has been a great deal of uncertainty on campus, particularly among students from countries that the president deems hostile, including China, communist countries, Muslim countries, and some African countries. Then, at the end of May, the bombshell came: According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Harvard would no longer be permitted to enroll new international students. Those already enrolled would have to transfer to another university or risk losing their residence status. The university has filed a lawsuit against this decision. However, the U.S. government is not backing down. According to U.S. media outlets, the government has ordered checks of the online activities of all visa applicants to study at Harvard. This would affect researchers and guest speakers as well. And most recently, the US administration imposed an entry ban for all international students at Harvard. A court has blocked this decision, but uncertainty remains.
Many do not know if they can legally remain in the country for the foreseeable future. They are looking for alternatives and trying to have a plan B in place. "In addition to uncertainty, there is, of course, also despair and sadness at missing out on a great opportunity that has been worked toward for a long time," says the young TUM student who spent a few months in Cambridge. She is also in contact with full-time German students at Harvard via WhatsApp groups, where she observed downright panic. "If an immigration officer gets hold of your cell phone and you haven't deleted your social media accounts, it's too late," says another TUM student who also wishes to remain anonymous because she might want to continue working in the U.S. She is conducting research at a hospital that sponsored her visa and the rules against Harvard don´t apply to her. However, she has friends who have already had their residence permits revoked because they applied for them through the university.
The Harvard International Office supports international students and researchers by providing updates, informational calls, and legal advice. The office recommends that students and researchers avoid conspicuous behavior, such as participating in protests, posting criticism on social media, or committing traffic offenses, so as not to attract the attention of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office. The also offers support. In the coming days, it intends to discuss current developments with its member universities and also expand its information and advice services on developments in the USA. German students and doctoral candidates in the USA can also contact the DAAD office in New York, according to a press release issued this week.
