Harvard University has advised its international students to steer clear of Boston Logan International Airport and consider alternative entry points into the U.S., such as New York’s JFK, Chicago O’Hare, or Los Angeles International Airport. The guidance comes amid growing concerns about intensified scrutiny at U.S. ports of entry, especially targeting students from Iran and China.
The warning was delivered during a private briefing on Thursday, organized by Harvard’s International Office and legal experts from Harvard Law School, News.Az reports, citing foreign sources.
The call followed a temporary court victory that blocked the Trump administration’s effort to halt the university’s ability to enroll international students.
University officials cautioned students that U.S. State Department personnel may examine visa applicants’ social media profiles, while Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents have the authority to search electronic devices and deny entry based on their content.
Students in sensitive academic fields, including science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and artificial intelligence, were urged to be especially careful. Corral noted that Iranian students, in particular, had experienced heightened questioning and delays at Logan Airport, prompting the recommendation to use airports with potentially less strict screenings.
The briefing also referenced the case of Kseniia Petrova, a Russian-born Harvard researcher who was detained for four months at Logan Airport earlier this year after returning from France. Authorities accused her of illegally transporting frog embryos into the U.S., and although she was released on bail in June, legal proceedings are ongoing.
