Harvard vs. Homeland Security: Why Graduation Day Turned Into a Fight for Students’ Rights
- Yastika Chouhan
- Jun 2
- 2 min read
Graduation is usually a day of caps, gowns, and cheers. But this year at Harvard, it became a stand-off between one of the world’s top universities and the U.S. government — and the future of international students hung in the balance.
In late May, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) sent a letter threatening to pull Harvard’s right to enroll international students, claiming the school failed to comply with federal rules. Harvard didn’t take it lightly — they sued. During graduation, President Alan Garber’s speech defending international students got a massive standing ovation from students, families, and faculty.
School Isn’t Just Local Anymore
Chances are, you go to school with at least a few international students — or maybe you are one. These students bring new ideas, cultures, and perspectives that make class discussions more interesting and help everyone learn better. Kicking them out? That’s like deleting the most interesting part of the group chat.
When schools like Harvard face pressure to remove international students, it sends a message that diversity isn’t welcome. That affects not just colleges, but the culture of learning itself.
Free Speech and Fairness Are on the Line
Harvard says this attack from DHS was retaliation — a response to its previous legal battles with the government over immigration policy. If true, it raises big questions: Can the government silence schools that disagree with it? Can free speech be punished?
Whether you lean left, right, or somewhere in between, this case is about more than visas. It’s about whether schools — and students — can speak up without being threatened.
This Could Impact Your Future, Too
Maybe you’re planning to go to college in a different country. Maybe you want to study abroad. Maybe you want to start a club at school with global impact. If the U.S. makes it harder for international students to learn here, other countries might start doing the same — and that hurts everyone.
Plus, fewer international students means fewer cultural events, language programs, and global opportunities on campus. It’s a lose-lose situation.
What You Can Do
Stay informed. Understand what policies are changing and who they’re affecting.
Speak up. If something feels unfair at your school, use your voice to make change.
Think globally. Whether it’s Model UN, foreign language classes, or cultural clubs — build your global IQ now.
Harvard might be fighting this case in court, but the bigger battle is for the future of student rights — and teens like you are next in line to inherit that fight.
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