Harvard University’s president, Alan Garber, criticized the Trump administration’s efforts to restrict international student enrollment during his speech at the Ivy League institution’s graduation festivities.
“Members of the Class of 2025, from down the street, across the country and around the world … just as it should be,” he said.
Garber was greeted with a one-minute standing ovation at the beginning of his speech, mainly because he urged universities to remain “steadfast” against the Trump administration, which has recently been at odds with Ivy League institutions such as Harvard and Columbia.
Having assumed the presidency of the prestigious university last August, Garber encouraged graduates to be open to “expanding our perspectives and changing our views.” He expressed his wish for them to “embrace discomfort.”
That same morning, in a Boston federal court just six miles from the commencement, District Court Judge Allison Burroughs dealt a blow to the Trump administration, slapping a temporary injunction on its plans to restrict the admittance of foreign students or those on a visa.
“I want to maintain the status quo,” Burroughs said from the bench.
“It doesn’t need to be draconian, but I want to make sure it’s worded in such a way that nothing changes,” she said, with Harvard’s lead attorney Ian Gershengorn telling the judge he doesn’t want any “shenanigans” to take place once the order is set.
The Trump administration filed a legal notice before the hearing commenced giving Harvard 30 days to make its case to remain a part of the Student and Exchange Visitor Program.
