Harvard University Urges global Students to Avoid Boston Airport, But Why?

BOSTON— Harvard University has warned its international students to avoid arriving at Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), citing increased scrutiny by U.S. border officials. Students are instead advised to use alternate entry points such as New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Chicago O’Hare (ORD), or Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

Harvard’s legal and immigration teams held a private call with students following a legal injunction blocking a federal policy aimed at limiting the university’s ability to enroll foreign nationals. The advisory emphasized travel risks, especially for those from Iran and China studying in sensitive research fields.

Representative Image | Photo: By Eric Salard – N509UA SEA, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=44421385

Harvard Students Told to Avoid Boston Logan

The internal briefing, led by Maureen Martin, Director of Immigration Services, and attorney Jason Corral from Harvard Law School’s Immigration and Refugee Clinic, alerted students to new concerns at U.S. ports of entry.

Officials cautioned that Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers may inspect digital devices and assess travelers’ social media content during immigration checks.

Students were informed that CBP may deny entry to individuals based on online activity deemed critical of the United States or related to politically sensitive topics like pro-Palestinian or antisemitic speech.

Attempts to delete digital histories or reset devices could also trigger suspicion during inspections.

The call specifically highlighted Boston Logan (BOS) as a high-risk entry point for students from certain regions, especially Iran.

Alternatives such as JFK (New York), ORD (Chicago), and LAX (Los Angeles) were recommended based on anecdotal evidence from prior student experiences, although no official data has been released regarding processing outcomes at these airports.

Photo: By Adam Moreira (AEMoreira042281) – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=87365424

Security Advice for High-Risk Nationalities

Students from Iran and China, particularly those engaged in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or artificial intelligence disciplines, were urged to be cautious.

According to Corral, Iranian nationals have reportedly faced increased interrogations and secondary screening at BOS.

While not officially banned, Logan Airport (BOS) was singled out as a location where recent incidents raised concerns. These include the case of Kseniia Petrova, a Russian researcher at Harvard, who was detained at BOS in February after returning from France.

Authorities accused her of attempting to import biological material—frog embryos—into the country, leading to a months-long detention and ongoing legal proceedings.

Harvard University USA; Photo- Ingfbruno | Wikimedia Commons

Political Backdrop and Institutional Pressure

The advisory follows a broader context of political pressure on Harvard. The Trump administration, in particular, has made the university a focal point of its criticism against elite academic institutions.

Federal actions include canceling over $2.6 billion in research funding, questioning Harvard’s tax-exempt status, and alleging antisemitism and discrimination in admissions and hiring practices.

While the current injunction allows Harvard to continue enrolling international students, the Department of Justice is appealing the ruling. It remains uncertain whether the enforcement trends observed at BOS reflect broader federal policy or are unique to the institution.

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