Trump Signs Proclamation to Ban Travel from 12 Countries
This is something our team has been anticipating since the President took office in January. We initially expected it to be among his first executive actions; instead, it has taken longer to materialize. What’s different this time is the administration’s attempt to link anti-Semitism and visa overstays as justification for the new travel bans. Interestingly, students from the affected countries account for less than 1% of all F-1 visas issued annually. Our team will continue to monitor developments closely and share updates as more information becomes available.
“President Trump is fulfilling his promise to protect Americans from dangerous foreign actors that want to come to our country and cause us harm,” White House deputy press secretary Abigail Jackson wrote on X.
“These commonsense restrictions are country-specific and include places that lack proper vetting, exhibit high visa overstay rates, or fail to share identity and threat information,” she wrote.
Map courtesy CNN
Official Proclamation - RESTRICTING THE ENTRY OF FOREIGN NATIONALS TO PROTECT THE UNITED STATES FROM FOREIGN TERRORISTS AND OTHER NATIONAL SECURITY AND PUBLIC SAFETY THREATS
Trump Signs Proclamation to Suspend Visas for New Harvard International Students
In addition to banning students from several countries, the President has issued a proclamation barring new international student visas for Harvard. He has also directed federal agencies to evaluate whether currently enrolled international students at Harvard should have their visas revoked. While the proclamation does not formally strip Harvard of its ability to enroll international students, it effectively makes that impossible.
The administration has justified this move by citing national security concerns, alleged foreign ties and radicalism, and claims of inadequate reporting on international student data. It is important to note that the proclamation includes exemptions for individuals deemed critical to the national interest and does not currently apply to students at other US institutions.
Our team is closely monitoring the situation and will continue to share updates as more information becomes available.
“Harvard is either not fully reporting its disciplinary records for foreign students or is not seriously policing its foreign students,” the White House said. It also accused the Ivy League institution of failing to address antisemitism on campus as well and persistently “prioritizing” diversity, equity, and inclusion – designed to advance racial, gender, class and other representation in public spaces – that Trump decries as “illegal and immoral discrimination.”
Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Restricts Foreign Student Visas at Harvard University
Immigration Research Shows Stephen Miller Wrong About American Science
This story underscores the challenges facing both higher education and international education. Misinformation continues to flow freely from the Trump administration, with Stephen Miller remaining one of the most prominent sources of misleading and harmful rhetoric — particularly around immigration.
It is deeply concerning that there appears to be such a fundamental lack of understanding about the role immigrants have played in American scientific and academic advancement. The EB-1 visa, often referred to as the “Einstein visa,” was designed to attract individuals with extraordinary abilities, many of whom have made significant contributions to US innovation and research. Let’s hope Albert Einstein is still included in current curriculum.
On May 31, 2025, in a statement on X.com, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller wrote, “During the middle of the 20th century—when the U.S. achieved unquestioned global scientific dominance—there was net zero migration. From the 20’s to the 70’s the foreign-born population was cut almost by half while the overall population doubled. (Until Hart-Celler kicked in).”
Contrary to the implication of Miller’s statement, American science owes a great deal to immigrants in the post-war period. Between 1945 and 1974, 16 of the 30 U.S. winners of the Nobel Prize in physics were immigrants, according to a National Foundation for American Policy analysis.
Get the full story on Forbes >
More from Tom Dretler - Shorelight CEO & Co-Founder
The Oklahoma City Thunder (40% international players) have the NBA’s best record and are headed to the Finals to face the Indiana Pacers (27% international). Just down the street, Oklahoma City University (11% international students) serves fewer than 3,000 students — rooted in Oklahoma values and powering the local community.
