The Trump administration has aggressively targeted Harvard’s community of international students. Until recently, 12 student visas between the graduate and undergraduate schools were revoked for reasons that were unclear to the Harvard International Office. Additionally, the Department of Homeland Security has threatened to cancel the university’s SEVP certification which would prevent Harvard from being able to enroll foreign students. Amid fear and uncertainty, the Harvard Political Review wanted to dive deeper into how international students on campus have been personally affected.
Editor’s Note: All interviews were conducted anonymously to protect students unless explicit permission was granted. Any identifying details were willingly shared by the student. Leo Gerdén ‘25 — an international student leading the movement — is featured alongside four other international students, who are referred to as students 1 through 4.
These interviews have been edited for length and clarity.
Harvard Political Review: Given the risks of speaking out, what prompted you to do this interview today?
Leo Gerdén: I started when I wrote an op-ed in the Crimson about two weeks ago. That sort of came about because I was talking to other international friends who were understandably scared of speaking up after seeing the video of Rümeysa Öztürk and more reports of student visas getting revoked. I wrote that out of sheer frustration, because I believe that self-silencing is the most dangerous response to authoritarianism. Since then, I’ve gotten so much positive feedback from people on campus and all around the country, including the media attention, that I’ve realized that my voice could make a difference. And we’re in such a crucial moment right now that I need to take every opportunity to speak up.
Student 1: I think it’s important for people to know how we [international students] feel and how we experience these unprecedented and historic times. It’s important, since so many people are scared to speak out, that people who are not scared are not silent.
Student 2: If I say that right now, I feel unsafe speaking out as an international student due to current political actions, and the current administration does something to me, then they would be proving my point exactly. And in all honesty, at that point, this would no longer be a democracy with free speech — the kind of place I wish to live in. Should they do nothing to me, then okay, this continues to be a country I want to live in, and that’s fine. But honestly, I don’t want to go to a college or university where I cannot speak out freely.
Student 3: Looking at media coverage, it’s interesting that most of the coverage is about the funding cuts, which I think is fair, because $3.2 billion is quite a bit of money. However, even if I were an American student, I would be really concerned about this situation surrounding international students. If Harvard is about 25% to 30% international in terms of its student body across all its schools, losing 25% to 30% of our student body is an existential threat.
Student 4: There’s a lot at stake. I don’t want to be on the forefront of this movement, but as an international student who can be affected by any decisions that the government or the university makes, I feel a responsibility to be involved somehow, without risking my opportunity of studying here or anything. To me, this is a safe way of doing that.
HPR: The Trump administration recently revoked 12 graduate/undergraduate student visas. What would it mean to you if you lost your visa today?
Note: At the time of the interview, all 12 student visas were revoked. They have since been restored.
Leo Gerdén: I might not be able to finish the semester since I’m a senior, but I’m hopeful I can complete my degree in some way, shape, or form. It’s going to be hard if I’m in a detention center in Louisiana. But most of all, I would possibly miss graduation, and if I don’t receive my degree in time, then I wouldn’t be able to start my master’s program next year. I do want to be very clear that the risk to me is lower than it is for many other international students, especially those coming from unsafe countries. That’s also part of why I feel a responsibility to take on this fight.
Student 1: Getting into Harvard was the greatest honor of my life. I mentioned this in my speech at one of the [international] events, that being admitted here was the greatest privilege I’ve ever experienced. It was never something that I thought would happen in my life, but it did. There’s no other place like Harvard, where you can follow your passions with so much flexibility, freedom, and directness. Harvard is excellent in everything it teaches. So, having my visa revoked would be a huge loss of two academic years that I would otherwise use to become my best self in many different ways.
Student 2: I’d be very curious to know whether it was just a random attack on international students or something specifically triggered by what I said. Both would be terrible, but either way, it would be a massive signal to me that this is probably not the sort of country that I want to live in.
Student 3: Fortunately, I’m only here for four years, and I do have a life back home. I have a job in my home country, so personally, I believe I am going to be okay.
Student 4: My family and I have put in effort our whole lives for me to come here and take full advantage of the opportunities that are available to me at Harvard. If I were to lose my visa for something that I did not do, or for a reason that was not clear, it wouldn’t simply be a great deal for me, but for my family as well. I would be truly devastated.
HPR: Recent threats have made life as an international student complicated and unpredictable. What has your experience been like over the past few weeks? How have you been impacted personally, emotionally and, or academically?
Leo Gerdén: It’s scary for everyone. It used to, just a couple weeks ago, be that if you spoke up, then your individual student visa could be revoked. But now, they’re threatening to revoke all of our visas. So, there have obviously been a lot of emotional ups and downs regarding all of this.
Student 1: Coming from Austria, it teaches you how authoritarian politicians rise to power, and so realizing that something similar might be happening in the U.S. right now just makes you freak out. It feels like you’re seeing a film — or watching the playbook of a film — happen in front of your eyes, and that’s pretty scary, especially if it impacts you directly. Once your visa is gone, you lose your legitimacy to remain in this country. So it has been much harder to focus on schoolwork, because these existential questions are always flowing in your head: Where are you going to be next year? Should you apply to study abroad? How should you prepare for the worst-case scenario? Should you spend the summer in America? These are just questions every international student is thinking about. For some of us, the situation might be a little easier. There are certain countries where people are more at risk than others, but obviously, being vocal puts you at risk.
Student 2: The scariest part of being an international student right now is not necessarily what’s going on right now or but it’s the uncertainty and unpredictability with which the current administration acts. When the administration requested all that information about international students, I literally did not know whether they would actually remove all of us or not. Plenty of people said, ‘No, they would never do that.’ Fortunately, so far that’s been correct. But given everything that’s happened, the thought crossed my mind that there’s a very decent chance that they would be willing to do that. And it’s this game of political psychology that is completely impossible to win, which makes the situation so anxiety-provoking.
Student 3: I just want information — whatever it may be — because I expect it’s going to be bad news regardless. I think if Harvard fights back, it’s going to be bad. I think if Harvard doesn’t fight, it’s going to be bad. I’m also tired and overwhelmed, because there’s just a lot going on. I don’t necessarily know how the university is going to respond to this threat of banning international students, but I would like some certainty so I can make plans.
Student 4: My summer plans were set, my travel plans were finalized, and then all of a sudden, everything was in a state of confusion. My internship was set, and I had even received a grant for it, but now I’m unsure whether I can make it virtual, or if that would even be allowed. Other than that, I think my ability to just openly speak about the issues I care about has been reduced. Whenever protests have happened, I’ve been inclined to go and show my presence, but I’ve felt scared in doing so, just because of the consequences that it might have. I am aware that when it comes to the government’s decisions about revoking SEVIS or visa status, there’s only so much a university can do. If I had solid protection, the situation would be slightly different.
HPR: Do you feel supported by your American peers? What is one thing you wish they understood?
Leo Gerdén: I do feel like I have received a lot of support, but that’s also because I’ve been very vocal, speaking at a few protests and other events. What I’ve recommended all Americans do is reach out to your international friends and check in on how they’re doing, because right now, it’s an incredibly scary time for all of us. Currently, we’re being used as poker chips in a political battle with the White House.
Student 1: Sometimes I wish that my American peers would be more aware that they don’t have to be bystanders in what’s happening, and that they have strong, active voices. They can speak their minds, and there are certain rights in this country that allow them to even when they disagree with something. This is especially important given our place as Harvard students, who are usually admitted because they’re changemakers.
Student 2: There’s a big thing that I wanted to touch on. I went to the protest on Thursday, and while there were a decent number of Americans, there was a completely disproportionate number of international students. To me, that’s very worrying, because it should be the opposite. There’s a huge risk to internationals showing up to a protest like that, while there’s no risk to an American showing up. As a non-American coming from Europe, I might be biased, but I do feel that there’s this sentiment within the U.S. that you only have to worry when political issues start to affect you and your family. It’s when each person only cares for themselves that dictatorships are able to target a group one by one, until there’s no one left standing. Once Trump has finished targeting all the LGBTQ+ communities, Harvard communities, and international communities — who’s left, the American people? There still has to be a state scapegoat, and Americans must realize that by standing up for other groups, they’re standing up for themselves too, later on down the line.
Student 3: I think it’s been mixed. Some of my American peers have been sort of ashamed and very, very apologetic — maybe even more upset than I am about the situation. But there are also others who don’t quite realize the magnitude of what’s happening. They’re not going to be deported, but I think it does affect their studies. It does affect their coursework.
Student 4: My immediate friends here definitely do support me. Whenever there have been instances of protest or rumors of ICE being on campus, they texted me to ask where I was and made sure that I stayed put. They’re also aware of emergency protocols like what we should do if ICE shows up at our door. One thing I wish my American peers understood is there’s a sense of comfort that you can find if you know that the people around you will support you if something bad happens. I think that my American friends could put in an increased amount of effort into making sure their international friends are comfortable in the space that they have been given at Harvard.
HPR: Have you considered leaving the US or transferring to another institution? Why or why not?
Leo Gerdén: Since speaking out, I’ve gotten that question a lot, whether I should even be in the country, at the risk of getting detained and arrested — and I’ve considered that seriously. But as long as my voice still matters in this, and I believe it does, we have to keep fighting this semester. I think the fight is so important, and it’s far from finished. No single letter or statement is going to end this. It’s gonna be a marathon for the next four years.
Student 1: I have considered studying abroad, because I don’t know how events will unfold here. I can tell that the government’s tone towards us has rapidly changed — that’s just how I perceive it. And so I have considered studying abroad. Harvard is my academic home, and I want to stay, but if I have to leave, I would obviously do it and continue my education somewhere else.
Student 2: At the present moment, I have not because I’m not sure what will come of all this. It’s possible that Trump retracts and Harvard wins out. In that case, I’d be very happy to stay at an institution like this. However, I would be very tempted to leave for another institution or to leave the country if I start to feel Harvard doesn’t have my back or will sacrifice me in order to protect other agendas.
Student 3: I have thought about it. There’s obviously a lot of uncertainty, and while I don’t have any concrete plans yet, I have thought about transferring. I have also told some admitted students from overseas, whom I know personally, that they should really seriously think twice about coming to this university and even to the U.S. at this particular time. Harvard has a lot going for it, but they need to know that before they come, that they’re going to be a combatant in a war that they may not necessarily want to fight.
Student 4: No, I have not, because I have found a wonderful community here, the exact way I wanted my college life to be. I’ve found my academic pursuits here, and I won’t consider moving unless it’s the absolute last option. I’m a student on full financial aid, and there are very few institutions in the world that give full financial aid. That was a very big factor in my decision to come here. So no, not at all.
Senior U.S. Editor
