Donald Trump has suspended for an initial six months the entry of foreign students seeking to study or participate in exchange programmes at Harvard University.
The US president proclaimed on Wednesday, citing “national security” concerns and declaring it “detrimental” to US interests to continue allowing foreign students at the institution.
Harvard has responded by calling the order “retaliatory” and emphasising it would continue to protect its international students, according to Reuters news agency.
Trump’s announcement is a further escalation of an ongoing legal row with one of the US’s most prestigious universities after Harvard refused to yield to a series of White House demands in April.
Wednesday’s order comes after a judge blocked the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from banning international students at Harvard in a ruling last week.
Trump’s proclamation accused Harvard of developing “extensive entanglements” with foreign countries and continuing to “flout the civil rights of its students and faculty”.
“Considering these facts, I have determined that it is necessary to restrict the entry of foreign nationals who seek to enter the United States solely or principally to participate in a course of study at Harvard University,” he said.
The order also suspends visas for international students seeking exchange programmes and directs the Secretary of State to consider revoking existing visas of students currently studying at the university.
The suspension can be extended beyond six months.
The White House said Harvard had failed to provide sufficient information to the DHS about “foreign students’ known illegal or dangerous activities” and reported “deficient data on only three students”.
Harvard issued a statement calling the order “yet another illegal retaliatory step taken by the administration in violation of Harvard’s First Amendment rights”, Reuters reported.
