The government moved to revoke Harvard’s right to enroll international students, seeking to deal a fatal blow to the university. Harvard hit back today.
UPDATE: The federal court has issued a temporary restraining order against the government from implementing the termination of Harvard’s student visa program
Democracy does not matter when the tyranny of the majority is voting on matters of conscience. Fifty percent of the population are of less than average intelligence - they know this, so they do what they're told to do; and, all you need after that is a few percentage points of those who are willing to take advantage of the former and fascism reigns supreme.
Which is to say, what destroying democracy looks like. That is the role our government is taking. Trump has no allies except his loyalists in the US. Putin is an ally, but Trump is as always an unreliable ally. Putin's problems may be too big for Trump to take on.
A judge has to hear both sides, as in “due process??”!! Hmmm, who knew there was such a thing, Ms. Noem???!! (Can you hear the heavy sarcasm in my voice??!!)
A judge has to hear both sides, as in “due process??”!! Hmmm, who knew there was such a thing, Ms. Noem???!! (Can you hear the heavy sarcasm in my voice??!!)
A judge has to hear both sides, as in “due process??”!! Hmmm, who knew there was such a thing, Ms. Noem???!! (Can you hear the heavy sarcasm in my voice??!!)
I still recommend all foreign students to be looking for another university to transfer to that is not in the USA. Otherwise their lives will be the chaotic HELL that it has become for most living in America or tied to it. I wrote this piece of advice with the first arrest, and it stands true still.
No Adam. Are you suggesting that they stay at Harvard, risk violating their lost visa status, and being either thrown into ICE prisons or worse deported to El Salvador or South Sudan or Libyan Concentration Camps?
What are you interpreting not "Obeying in advance" to mean? This is not a one size fits all response to fascism. You might want to die for freedom in the US, should a foreign student feel the same way?
The regime's goals are to keep vulnerable immigrants in limbo perpetually over their status. I recommend students leave because they have the easiest time of it. I have at least 6 Gen-zers in my family that I have regular contact with. My friends and I constantly discuss how Covid has affected this generation in their formative years. They do not need this added stress and these young people run the risk of feeling suicidal about what they may view as this ruining their lives.
As you see, I am giving them a plan of how to make the most of a horrid situation. Kristi Noem has already said that she will be doing this to other universities as well, so the answer is not going to be to move to another US university. Right now other countries will understand, so it is advisable to start trying to transfer abroad now.
Ultimately it was thoughtless of US Universities to rush people back from their breaks in January without really thinking through the implications. Responsibly, they should have offered them to continue through Zoom or a hybrid of Zoom and independent work until they figured things out. Americans should not be counting on people from other countries to endanger and sacrifice themselves to help prop up our economy. We Americans need to be doing that.
I think that Princess Beatrice of Belgium's family put it best. She will be coming home for the summer, and they will see what she does after that. That is basically what I recommend to everyone. Make an alternative plan because being a foreign student or any foreign person in the US right now, is not safe.
What you are advocating in effect IS obeying in advance! This is just what Noem-Trump want.
There are some things, globally, worth fighting for. Other lessons involved.
This "plan" to save themselves makes the most of a horrible situation? Kristi Noem can say whatever and your reaction is fear from your safe place. Not everyone is reacting this way..
You have not answered my question. Do you think that non Americans should be willing to go to US ICE concentration camps for the country. Is this the advice you would have given Jews in Germany in the 1930s?
I see this as the university's battle, not the students, except for those who are American. While foreign students might choose to stay and wait to see what happens, and violating their visa status, I am advocating that they should have a plan B, which is a form of not letting the government accomplish what they want which is not just to mess with Harvard, but also to mess with foreign governments. As patriots of their own countries they should not be giving the US this leverage. Just as, I don't advocate US citizens go to Russia right now where they can be imprisoned and then force our government to have to trade them for hardened Russian criminals.
Instead students fight back by taking care of themselves and so they should look ahead to what they can do if Harvard does not win this battle. And does not protect them. If they go home over the summer and do not apply elsewhere and then cannot return to the US, that would have been a bad idea, when now is the time to apply elsewhere.
I am sorry Linda I think this is a battle for all of us, and that includes students- all students. There is no better lesson. I did answer you I thought. I cannot indulge in fear mode.
The point is people will of course leave sooner rather than later depending on their fear level.They are already. Do we need to encourage that or courage? This status change is illegal. Do you need to be adding to that bringing Germany in? Courage is also contagious. The universities, and all other insitutiuons being attacked ARE our country's treasures. They are who we are. Going after foreign students becomes American students and then foreign workers, teachers etc. WE need to STOP it, not expect it as foregone.
WE need to see that there are no ICE concentration camps. Students, foreign included, need to know we have their backs, that we value them.
Harvard needs to reassure them this way. THAT is also part of the university's battle. Harvard leads the battle. It's about all universities, institutions of learning.
You don't fight back by saving your own skin before it is absolutely necessary. I have enough belief in this country still- after 4 months of this- to say that. A mass exodus we do not need.
I was actually the guy who inspired the opening scene in The Paper Chase. But in real life, the contracts professor became the most beloved member of the faculty; the character was based on another professor, who was a real bear to first-year students, but a gentleman when I had him in my third year. He was the professor who literally wrote the book on estate planning. For a generation, every good estate plan in the country was based on ones that he had in the book--and he disclaimed any copyright protection for them.
Have you ever watched a movie called "The Killing Fields" - it's becoming in the United States right now because Trump will not take "no" for an answer and he has members of his "Cabinet" who are perfectly drunk on power and believe in his Godhood.
It won't be long before disappearances begin and, unknown-before-now tall, smokestacks in the Texas hinterlands start belching foul-smelling, inky-black, sooty corruption. Trump is evil, the authors of Project 2025 are evil and until they have met the same fate they will visit upon their opponents then the United States is doomed to a civil war.
Wow, Loran- Sounds like you could benefit by taking a break from the news. Connect up with your local Indivisible or other action oriented grassroots group. Taking action in community to defend our democracy is the best antidote to doom and gloom.
Timothy Snyder and Erica chenowith, are the authors I would start with. However to me the biggest issue is usingb 20th century political thought when the opposition has 21st century strategies. While citizens United remains the law of the land, I see no hope. A good old fashioned tax revolt would shake up some stuff, but Elon bought America for less than he paid for twitter and it seems he's got what he wanted. honestly I see no hope for USA right now.
Yep, I’ve read Snyder and Chenowith. But, I don’t think we can read or think our way out of this mess. As Chenowith’s documentation shows, activating 3.5% of the population (that’s 11 million for us) to non-violent action is the key to toppling a fascist regime. That would mean showing up in the streets, at congressional offices, boycotting the billionaires (yes, including amazon), innovating tactics, and generally making the country ungovernable until our democracy is restored. It takes a minute to build that collective power, but local grassroots groups are doing that as we speak. Hence, my recommendation to join one and take action in community. That’s the only way to win.
They won’t need smokestacks. The Feds now are able to “disappear” anyone by altering the information in the government database so they are administratively declared “dead” and ineligible for any benefits, services or documents such as a passport.
Harvard is fortunate in that they have lots of money (inordinate amounts) - not all universities are so well-funded...but wait until Trump starts trying to seize the banks, exchanges, etc. He wants it all.
My partner won't let me watch anything but the local news anymore because I yelled at the tv so much...I have to get everything from Substack, now--which is fine, since the national news seriously underreports and mostly sucks anyway! I get much more thorough news from Jay, Ben, Scott, Robert, Lucian, Tom and Ron! (and yeah, some redundancy too. But I read each for different reasons so it's fine)
It’s a good way to vent! Gets those negative emotions out of you. One of my aunts taught me to cuss as a child and it has served me well all these years (I’m 70 now).
Good for Harvard. You managed to find a photo of her that looks exactly like a plastic doll you would find on a shelf at Walmart. Hard to believe she is even human due to her coldness.(Good dream, Jay)!!
I think her bragging in her own book about executing her kids puppy, goat and 2 old horses who were no longer "useful" pretty much proved her inner deadness. Soulless.
They will probably come out with a Barbie like doll for her. One of the 2 dolls our “ little girls “ can get. Girls can dress her up like whatever costume they want, like she does in real life. Except that maybe an orange jumpsuit could go into the package…
I took Administrative Law in law school. It’s been a long time ago, but It’s still true that going through the process of the APA is long and can involve numerous appeals. It’s not suited to the kind of headlines Trump and his minions are seeking. They should and by now do know better. Not only should their actions be vacated, they should be sanctioned for their vexatious conduct.
It would be interesting for some investigative journalists to dig into the team behind clueless Noem’s cosplay against Harvard. Are they an extralegal ‘hit’ squad dispatched by Vought or Miller to explore every weak or under guarded spot in the executive branch to go after any civil society institution that touches international students or foreigners with any kind of visa? Or a concerted multiagency effort to destroy universities in America? Either way it would help to know the names of the actual underlings feeding this stuff to Noem and other cabinet members.
"My bet is that Secretary Noem is about to learn a lot about the APA and the First Amendment, to pair with the lesson in due process and habeas corpus she’s already being taught while trying to render migrant detainees to third countries."
My bet is she'll *hear* a lot about them, learn nothing, and care even less.
Didn't the tRump regime earlier actually "demand" that Harvard hand over its student admission paperwork in order for the DOJ to vet "discriminatory practices" sort of thing? And trying to influence who can or cannot be admitted? So, I'm assuming that all the VERY wealthy alumni/alumnae are going to put it on the line to defend their alma mater against the predatory attacks by DHS? No? Yes?
SCS, you can contribute to Harvard or just about any other college or university without being an alum. Gifts from people who have no affiliation are especially meaningful regardless of the amount because they demonstrate public support far beyond the campus.
I don't remember if it was a WAPO or NYT article which barely mentioned the fact that some (who knows how many that means) of the alumni were concerned about how far Harvard should go. I'm hoping Trump's hatchet job on Harvard is causing all alumnus to stiffen their spines and stay the course.
I find it crazy that they’ve decided to take on an institution know for turning out top notch lawyers. Kristy Noem is just a petty, despicable, horrible, no good individual.
UPDATE: The federal court has issued a temporary restraining order against the government from implementing the termination of Harvard’s student visa program
this is what democracy looks like!
Well, it's what legal process looks like, at least.
Democracy does not matter when the tyranny of the majority is voting on matters of conscience. Fifty percent of the population are of less than average intelligence - they know this, so they do what they're told to do; and, all you need after that is a few percentage points of those who are willing to take advantage of the former and fascism reigns supreme.
Which is to say, what destroying democracy looks like. That is the role our government is taking. Trump has no allies except his loyalists in the US. Putin is an ally, but Trump is as always an unreliable ally. Putin's problems may be too big for Trump to take on.
It should not have to look like this, though. This regime, backed by the Heritage Foundation, wants to destroy higher education.
Just temporary... stay tuned... about a lot.
It's likely to become permanent, but a judge has to always start with a temporary order until there is time to hear both sides.
I’m sure the regime will take this to SCOTUS immediately.
A judge has to hear both sides, as in “due process??”!! Hmmm, who knew there was such a thing, Ms. Noem???!! (Can you hear the heavy sarcasm in my voice??!!)
A judge has to hear both sides, as in “due process??”!! Hmmm, who knew there was such a thing, Ms. Noem???!! (Can you hear the heavy sarcasm in my voice??!!)
A judge has to hear both sides, as in “due process??”!! Hmmm, who knew there was such a thing, Ms. Noem???!! (Can you hear the heavy sarcasm in my voice??!!)
I still recommend all foreign students to be looking for another university to transfer to that is not in the USA. Otherwise their lives will be the chaotic HELL that it has become for most living in America or tied to it. I wrote this piece of advice with the first arrest, and it stands true still.
https://lindaweide.substack.com/p/foreign-students-at-a-us-university?r=f0qfn
That effectively accomplishes the regime's goals -- textbook "obeying in advance."
No Adam. Are you suggesting that they stay at Harvard, risk violating their lost visa status, and being either thrown into ICE prisons or worse deported to El Salvador or South Sudan or Libyan Concentration Camps?
What are you interpreting not "Obeying in advance" to mean? This is not a one size fits all response to fascism. You might want to die for freedom in the US, should a foreign student feel the same way?
The regime's goals are to keep vulnerable immigrants in limbo perpetually over their status. I recommend students leave because they have the easiest time of it. I have at least 6 Gen-zers in my family that I have regular contact with. My friends and I constantly discuss how Covid has affected this generation in their formative years. They do not need this added stress and these young people run the risk of feeling suicidal about what they may view as this ruining their lives.
As you see, I am giving them a plan of how to make the most of a horrid situation. Kristi Noem has already said that she will be doing this to other universities as well, so the answer is not going to be to move to another US university. Right now other countries will understand, so it is advisable to start trying to transfer abroad now.
Ultimately it was thoughtless of US Universities to rush people back from their breaks in January without really thinking through the implications. Responsibly, they should have offered them to continue through Zoom or a hybrid of Zoom and independent work until they figured things out. Americans should not be counting on people from other countries to endanger and sacrifice themselves to help prop up our economy. We Americans need to be doing that.
I think that Princess Beatrice of Belgium's family put it best. She will be coming home for the summer, and they will see what she does after that. That is basically what I recommend to everyone. Make an alternative plan because being a foreign student or any foreign person in the US right now, is not safe.
What you are advocating in effect IS obeying in advance! This is just what Noem-Trump want.
There are some things, globally, worth fighting for. Other lessons involved.
This "plan" to save themselves makes the most of a horrible situation? Kristi Noem can say whatever and your reaction is fear from your safe place. Not everyone is reacting this way..
You have not answered my question. Do you think that non Americans should be willing to go to US ICE concentration camps for the country. Is this the advice you would have given Jews in Germany in the 1930s?
I see this as the university's battle, not the students, except for those who are American. While foreign students might choose to stay and wait to see what happens, and violating their visa status, I am advocating that they should have a plan B, which is a form of not letting the government accomplish what they want which is not just to mess with Harvard, but also to mess with foreign governments. As patriots of their own countries they should not be giving the US this leverage. Just as, I don't advocate US citizens go to Russia right now where they can be imprisoned and then force our government to have to trade them for hardened Russian criminals.
Instead students fight back by taking care of themselves and so they should look ahead to what they can do if Harvard does not win this battle. And does not protect them. If they go home over the summer and do not apply elsewhere and then cannot return to the US, that would have been a bad idea, when now is the time to apply elsewhere.
PS- the US is not Nazi Germany though we can certainly draw lessons from what happened then. And we are not Russia.
I am sorry Linda I think this is a battle for all of us, and that includes students- all students. There is no better lesson. I did answer you I thought. I cannot indulge in fear mode.
The point is people will of course leave sooner rather than later depending on their fear level.They are already. Do we need to encourage that or courage? This status change is illegal. Do you need to be adding to that bringing Germany in? Courage is also contagious. The universities, and all other insitutiuons being attacked ARE our country's treasures. They are who we are. Going after foreign students becomes American students and then foreign workers, teachers etc. WE need to STOP it, not expect it as foregone.
WE need to see that there are no ICE concentration camps. Students, foreign included, need to know we have their backs, that we value them.
Harvard needs to reassure them this way. THAT is also part of the university's battle. Harvard leads the battle. It's about all universities, institutions of learning.
You don't fight back by saving your own skin before it is absolutely necessary. I have enough belief in this country still- after 4 months of this- to say that. A mass exodus we do not need.
yes!
My money is on Harvard
Lol. And they won't even need Professor Kingsfield's help.
I was actually the guy who inspired the opening scene in The Paper Chase. But in real life, the contracts professor became the most beloved member of the faculty; the character was based on another professor, who was a real bear to first-year students, but a gentleman when I had him in my third year. He was the professor who literally wrote the book on estate planning. For a generation, every good estate plan in the country was based on ones that he had in the book--and he disclaimed any copyright protection for them.
legend!
🤣. I had to look that up, (haven't seen the film or series—The Paper Chase, in case anyone else out there is unfamiliar), but nicely put.
Mine too. For one thing they're a whole lot smarter, not that that's saying much. Don't they have one of the best law schools in the country?
With lots of high powered successful grads ...
Have you ever watched a movie called "The Killing Fields" - it's becoming in the United States right now because Trump will not take "no" for an answer and he has members of his "Cabinet" who are perfectly drunk on power and believe in his Godhood.
It won't be long before disappearances begin and, unknown-before-now tall, smokestacks in the Texas hinterlands start belching foul-smelling, inky-black, sooty corruption. Trump is evil, the authors of Project 2025 are evil and until they have met the same fate they will visit upon their opponents then the United States is doomed to a civil war.
Wow, Loran- Sounds like you could benefit by taking a break from the news. Connect up with your local Indivisible or other action oriented grassroots group. Taking action in community to defend our democracy is the best antidote to doom and gloom.
No, regime change is the answer to gloom. The doom is real.
Exactly, Nunya! How do you recommend accomplishing that?
My own experience shows that taking action in community is the most effective response. Happy to learn from your experience.
Timothy Snyder and Erica chenowith, are the authors I would start with. However to me the biggest issue is usingb 20th century political thought when the opposition has 21st century strategies. While citizens United remains the law of the land, I see no hope. A good old fashioned tax revolt would shake up some stuff, but Elon bought America for less than he paid for twitter and it seems he's got what he wanted. honestly I see no hope for USA right now.
Yep, I’ve read Snyder and Chenowith. But, I don’t think we can read or think our way out of this mess. As Chenowith’s documentation shows, activating 3.5% of the population (that’s 11 million for us) to non-violent action is the key to toppling a fascist regime. That would mean showing up in the streets, at congressional offices, boycotting the billionaires (yes, including amazon), innovating tactics, and generally making the country ungovernable until our democracy is restored. It takes a minute to build that collective power, but local grassroots groups are doing that as we speak. Hence, my recommendation to join one and take action in community. That’s the only way to win.
They won’t need smokestacks. The Feds now are able to “disappear” anyone by altering the information in the government database so they are administratively declared “dead” and ineligible for any benefits, services or documents such as a passport.
Years ago when I was a seminarian. Such sadness.
I suspect there are a lot more brains in the Harvard defence team than there are in the trump admin. . .
that's an easy quantification. . . there are NO brains in the 🍊💩 admin.
There are more brains in a cesspool than there are in the trump administration.
Not if the cesspool is Rock Creek.
No, Rock Creek is totally contaminated, only an idiot would go into the water…I can imagine that you know who I’m referring.
Hey that doesn’t make sense. Even if Jr. was in Rock Creek its brain trust could only be diminished.
you're right...what was I thinking? it would make Rock creek have even less brainpower than a cesspool!
😂
He has the SCOTUS, he doesn't need brains.
Does Trump's Cabinet have a working Brain amongst them?
Way to go Harvard, keep bucking their system because they don’t have a system
Harvard is fortunate in that they have lots of money (inordinate amounts) - not all universities are so well-funded...but wait until Trump starts trying to seize the banks, exchanges, etc. He wants it all.
Great article explaining the law!
So proud of Harvard for sticking up for its rights and the constitution. I hope other universities will follow their lead.
And Federal Judge Burrows just blocked it.
Harvard 2/f47 0.
So what? Who's going to enforce it after the students are rounded up and rendered to Sudan?
I've started to swear a lot more than I used to, and my friends, family, and neighbors are becoming alarmed.
I curse several times a day.
Unfortunately. The supply of appropriate and satisfying curse words is insufficient given the current environment.
You will much more when the kids are older and you step on their Legos walking barefoot in the house at night. lol It's a lot of fun.
ME TOO using words that I didn't know I knew
I got a Dammit Doll as a present recently. I hope I don’t wear it out.
A minute….I am running out of good curses.
Why do they not watch or read the news? Been a lot more swearing at our house, too.
I think part of the problem is that I was already pretty foul-mouthed as it was. Now, every second word is an F bomb.
LOL! It's a good thing that I live with just my dog and cat...my family would be SHOCKED at my language, when I yell at the TV!
My partner won't let me watch anything but the local news anymore because I yelled at the tv so much...I have to get everything from Substack, now--which is fine, since the national news seriously underreports and mostly sucks anyway! I get much more thorough news from Jay, Ben, Scott, Robert, Lucian, Tom and Ron! (and yeah, some redundancy too. But I read each for different reasons so it's fine)
Add Heather Cox Richardson, too.
Yes, I follow Heather as well...I did forget her Substack column and I have followed her LFAA the longest of all of them! My bad!
We live in a 55+ community and on my husband’s walk this morning he overheard 3 elderly women cussing up a storm!
I’m right there with them and you! 🤬. It’s a great stress reliever. 😁
It’s a good way to vent! Gets those negative emotions out of you. One of my aunts taught me to cuss as a child and it has served me well all these years (I’m 70 now).
Trump induced Obscenity Symdrom
Haven't we all?
Fuck is my favorite word now
Good for Harvard. You managed to find a photo of her that looks exactly like a plastic doll you would find on a shelf at Walmart. Hard to believe she is even human due to her coldness.(Good dream, Jay)!!
I think her bragging in her own book about executing her kids puppy, goat and 2 old horses who were no longer "useful" pretty much proved her inner deadness. Soulless.
For certain
Not hard - that's exactly how she looks in any photo 🤷
She looks like the vlear Halloween mask of a hooker.
She is a vain and ill-bred $trumpet! (Thanks to Shakespeare)
Her eyes look soulless.
They will probably come out with a Barbie like doll for her. One of the 2 dolls our “ little girls “ can get. Girls can dress her up like whatever costume they want, like she does in real life. Except that maybe an orange jumpsuit could go into the package…
I took Administrative Law in law school. It’s been a long time ago, but It’s still true that going through the process of the APA is long and can involve numerous appeals. It’s not suited to the kind of headlines Trump and his minions are seeking. They should and by now do know better. Not only should their actions be vacated, they should be sanctioned for their vexatious conduct.
Love the word, vexatious.
It would be interesting for some investigative journalists to dig into the team behind clueless Noem’s cosplay against Harvard. Are they an extralegal ‘hit’ squad dispatched by Vought or Miller to explore every weak or under guarded spot in the executive branch to go after any civil society institution that touches international students or foreigners with any kind of visa? Or a concerted multiagency effort to destroy universities in America? Either way it would help to know the names of the actual underlings feeding this stuff to Noem and other cabinet members.
I've been wondering about that myself recently, and increasingly. You know Noem didn't come up with this all on her own.
Agree
These people are criminals. We simply cannot withstand 4 years of this.
We are going to have to. And we can preveail. We must!
Yeah we can, but we're going to need a lot of self care along the way. Look out for one another and be gentle. It is a marathon not a sprint.
Yes we can- if we have to. . . Roll on 2026.
We can but it's f'n exhausting
"My bet is that Secretary Noem is about to learn a lot about the APA and the First Amendment, to pair with the lesson in due process and habeas corpus she’s already being taught while trying to render migrant detainees to third countries."
My bet is she'll *hear* a lot about them, learn nothing, and care even less.
Fair.
Harvard has the best constitutional legal minds. An unfair fight I’d pay to watch!
Now THAT should be televised!
Didn't the tRump regime earlier actually "demand" that Harvard hand over its student admission paperwork in order for the DOJ to vet "discriminatory practices" sort of thing? And trying to influence who can or cannot be admitted? So, I'm assuming that all the VERY wealthy alumni/alumnae are going to put it on the line to defend their alma mater against the predatory attacks by DHS? No? Yes?
The rumor is Barron got turned down so revenge in on order...who knows if it's true but it is plausible.
Either that, or the Corporation didn't stump up for a yuuge purchase of $tRump memecoins, and got left off his "leaderboard".
YES
I wish I was an alum so I could contribute!
Waiting for Hopkins’ turn!
SCS, you can contribute to Harvard or just about any other college or university without being an alum. Gifts from people who have no affiliation are especially meaningful regardless of the amount because they demonstrate public support far beyond the campus.
Some of the alumni are getting cold feet and afraid to take it too far. Let's hope Harvard holds them together.
Link?
I don't remember if it was a WAPO or NYT article which barely mentioned the fact that some (who knows how many that means) of the alumni were concerned about how far Harvard should go. I'm hoping Trump's hatchet job on Harvard is causing all alumnus to stiffen their spines and stay the course.
I find it crazy that they’ve decided to take on an institution know for turning out top notch lawyers. Kristy Noem is just a petty, despicable, horrible, no good individual.
She's a cunt. Thanks for providing a clear definition of what that word means.
She's a cunt.