Harvard Likely to Win on Legal Grounds

Steve Yale-Loehr was quoted by the Morning Dispatch in Trump Admin Targets International College Students. He said, “I would say that Harvard is going to win its lawsuit on both procedural and substantive grounds.” Procedurally, he noted that the federal government failed to provide Harvard sufficient notice to appeal the decision, a requirement of federal law, and also failed to provide sufficient evidence for its claims. Substantively, Steve pointed out that by specifically targeting Harvard and seeking to exert control over its curriculum, the White House was likely violating the First Amendment right to academic freedom and free expression, along with the privacy rights of international students. But the State Department’s pause of visa interviews will likely have effects far beyond Harvard, he noted. “It’s the absolute worst timing,” he said, adding that foreign students can only apply for a student visa after receiving an acceptance letter from and making a deposit to a U.S. university.