Escalation of Conflict with Trump: Harvard University Threatened with Ban on Admitting International Students

The conflict between the Trump administration and Harvard University continues to escalate. The Department of Homeland Security stated that if Harvard University does not comply with the government's political regulatory requirements, "it will lose the privilege of admitting foreign students." It is reported that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is considering revoking Harvard University's tax-exempt status.

The Trump administration said that if Harvard University does not comply with the government's political regulatory requirements, it will be banned from admitting international students.

The Department of Homeland Security stated in a statement: "If Harvard cannot confirm its full compliance with reporting obligations, the school will lose the privilege of admitting foreign students."

According to the Department of Homeland Security's statement, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristjen Nielsen canceled nearly $3 million in department funding for Harvard on Wednesday, April 16.

Nielsen also wrote to the Harvard administration, requesting detailed records of "illegal and violent behavior by foreign students" by the end of this month, or it will lose the "privilege of admitting foreign students."

Trump: Harvard University is a "joke"

Trump posted on social media platforms on Wednesday, calling Harvard University a "joke," and stating that due to the university's refusal to accept its political oversight requirements, it should lose the government's research contracts.

Trump also said: "Harvard University is no longer even considered a decent place to learn and should not be listed among any world-class universities or colleges."

This Monday, this university, which has nurtured 162 Nobel laureates, refused multiple regulatory requirements from the Trump administration regarding admissions, hiring, and political views. Trump announced a freeze on over $2.2 billion in funding and $60 million in contracts for Harvard University.

This is the largest public resistance by an American university since the Trump administration began pressuring higher education institutions, with other American universities showing signs of imitation.

Harvard University Threatened with Revocation of Tax-Exempt Status

Multiple U.S. media outlets, including The Washington Post, reported that the Trump administration also requested the IRS to revoke Harvard University's tax-exempt status.

In the United States, tax-exempt status applies to charitable, religious, educational, and social welfare organizations. However, these organizations must comply with tax laws and are prohibited from engaging in certain political activities. There is currently no public evidence showing that Harvard has violated these regulations.

According to U.S. law, the power to investigate and change tax-exempt status belongs solely to the IRS. The law prohibits the president from directly or indirectly requiring the agency to exercise this power over taxpayers.

White House spokesperson Harrison Fields stated in a declaration: "Any action taken by the IRS will be independent of the president, and investigations into whether institutions violate their tax-exempt status were initiated long before President Trump launched Truth (Trump's social platform)."

In the past few months, the Trump administration has replaced most of the top leadership at the IRS, appointing confidants temporarily as director and chief counsel.

Harvard spokesperson Jason Newton stated in a declaration that revoking the university's tax-exempt status "has no legal basis."

Harvard University's statement also said: "Such unprecedented actions will threaten our ability to fulfill our educational mission. This will lead to reduced student financial aid, abandonment of key medical research projects, and loss of innovation opportunities. Illegally invoking such means more broadly will have serious consequences for the future of American higher education."

Harvard's tax-exempt status not only exempts it from income tax and property tax but also allows donations to be tax-deductible. This mechanism has helped the university attract large donations from American billionaires.

Source: DW

Original Source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1829696158991372/

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