Trump’s orders on varsities causing disruption

THE Trump administration’s missive on halting the scheduling of new visa interviews for foreign students hoping to study in the US adds to the climate of uncertainty for the aspirants, their families and even the host campuses. It marks a significant expansion of the previous efforts to tighten immigration controls and impose restrictions on international students. The proposed social media vetting of visa seekers follows a crackdown aimed at sending back students who may have participated in protests against Israel’s actions in Gaza. A variety of rules have also been invoked to cancel certifications and freeze funding of US universities, especially elite ones such as Harvard, that the administration believes are too liberal and accuses of allowing anti-Semitism to flourish. For the higher education community, the frustration is palpable.