1. United States
2. Alaska
3. Letter

I’m writing to express deep alarm over the Trump administration’s latest attempt to control and coerce U.S. academic institutions — particularly the Department of Homeland Security’s threat to revoke Harvard University’s ability to host international students unless it complies with political demands. Let me be clear: this is not about campus safety or antisemitism — which must always be addressed sincerely and fairly. This is about weaponizing federal agencies to punish a university for refusing to surrender its autonomy, silence dissent, dismantle DEI programs, and adopt a partisan agenda. This is a naked abuse of executive power and a direct threat to the constitutional rights of every student, scholar, and institution in this country. As an American, I never imagined I would live through such an erosion of free expression and institutional independence. Academic freedom is foundational to democracy. Threatening to destroy careers, research, and international relationships in the name of political control is authoritarianism — plain and simple. We are not just witnessing policy shifts. We are witnessing the coordinated dismantling of democratic norms, and I am terrified of what comes next if people of conscience in Congress don’t speak out and act. I urge you to: • Condemn the administration’s threats to revoke Harvard’s SEVP certification and tax-exempt status. • Protect the right of U.S. institutions to operate free from political coercion. • Support legislation that reinforces the independence and academic freedom of colleges and universities nationwide. We need you to stand up — not just for Harvard, but for the principle that no president has the right to dictate what is taught, who may study, or what ideas are allowed to flourish in America’s Universities.