The Head Of Government Has Nothing To Do With Government

Not much surprises anymore me but I am still moderately surprised that Trump seems to think that the U.S. government doesn’t know who the foreign students attending Harvard are, which is a truly insane thing to believe. https://t.co/dqJSVOxFPV

— Aaron Reichlin-Melnick (@ReichlinMelnick) May 26, 2025

I can remember Gene Lyons telling the story of a European friend who visited him for a few days. Later Lyons was talking to a U.S. senator (I forget who), who detailed the entire time Lyons spent with his friend, from arrival to departure.

Lyons was appalled by how thoroughly the government kept track of his friend’s time in this country.  I doubt they track foreign students as carefully, but they certainly know who the students they are allowing into the country are; and where they are. And if they don’t, it’s not Harvard’s fault.

Maybe it’s down to DOGE.