Update:

Please sign this petition instead arose because of the same issue and has been taking off! https://chng.it/b4phwHPHbh

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As an academic, I am privileged to collaborate with colleagues from around the globe. Our research endeavors thrive on extensive international academic partnerships, allowing for a confluence of diverse perspectives, which result in innovative ideas and groundbreaking discoveries. However, recent actions by Kristi Noem, directing the Department of Homeland Security, to terminate all visas for Harvard's international students threatens this invaluable collaboration and institutional capabilities as a whole. This has significant repercussions not only on my colleagues and myself, but on the academic community worldwide.

Terminating international student visas under obviously unfounded allegations such as the university coordinating with the CCP, failing to hold students accountable for hate speech, and fostering violence appears to be a blatantly retaliatory anti-academic and anti-intellectual move. Under the guise of asking the university to "do the right thing," this directive is a xenophobic attempt to crush the freedom of expression which Harvard students have peacefully embraced as they attempt to use their education to better their communities at the local, national and international level. This undermines the core values of academic institutions like Harvard, which pride themselves on fostering global dialogue and multicultural education.

International students bring not just diversity, but also a wealth of knowledge and talent to the U.S., benefiting our economy and enriching our educational environments. According to a study by NAFSA: Association of International Educators, international students contributed $43.8 billion to the U.S. economy during the 2023-2024 academic year alone.

Furthermore, undergraduates but especially graduate students and postdocs engage in critical research that leads to significant societal and technological advancements. Contributions from international scholars are fundamental to the research mission of America's higher education and research institutions of advancing global human collective knowledge against all frontiers of the unknown. Preventing international students from attending Harvard risks stagnating innovation and isolating an academic community that thrives on openness and exchange.

We must stand against this directive and call for Kristi Noem to be held accountable for mismanaging the Department of Homeland Security in this regard. Firing her is a necessary step to protect the future of our academic institutions, the students who contribute so significantly to them, and the global reputation of the U.S. as a leader in higher education.

Join me in signing this petition to demand immediate action to reverse this decision and safeguard our higher education systems and the valuable contributions that international scholars make.