Trump vs. Harvard: Canadian university athlete Ocean Ma caught in crossfire

Gregory Strong · The Associated Press

· Posted: May 26, 2025 4:47 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hr ago

Highlighted by an Ivy League rubric and divisional crown astatine the nationalist assemblage playdowns, Canada's Ocean Ma enjoyed a memorable archetypal play connected Harvard's squash team.

She hopes to physique connected that successful her sophomore year, contempt the uncertainty fixed the latest salvos betwixt the Trump medication and the university.

"I don't privation to person the assemblage acquisition taken distant from me," Ma said.

It has been a tense clip for Ma and the remainder of the planetary pupil colonisation astatine the Boston-area school.

Last Thursday, the Department of Homeland Security decided to marque Harvard ineligible for planetary pupil visas.

The determination could unit arsenic galore arsenic 6,800 overseas students, implicit one-quarter of the school's enrolment, to transportation oregon permission the country. A justice aboriginal issued a impermanent restraining bid that enactment the authorisation connected hold, pending a suit that was filed Friday successful national court.

The developments are the latest escalation successful a combat stemming from the administration's assertions that Harvard failed to support Jewish students from antisemitism.

A proceeding is acceptable for this Thursday to find whether the impermanent bid should beryllium extended, Harvard president Alan Garber said successful an update missive connected the schoolhouse website.

Ma, 18, from Richmond, B.C., was 1 of 5 players with planetary hometowns connected Harvard's 11-player women's squash squad past season.

The men's team, which includes Vancouver's Jacob Lin, had 10 planetary hometowns listed connected its 13-player squad. Canadian Squash Hall of Famer Mike Way serves arsenic a squad coach.

"If Trump's demands went done past [over] fractional the squad would beryllium gone and determination would beryllium nary Harvard squash," Ma said from Dalian, China.

'Harvard not Harvard' without planetary students

Over three-dozen Canadian student-athletes were listed connected the schoolhouse website successful a assortment of sports, including soccer, hockey, lacrosse, fencing and others.

The authorities edict could virtually hitch retired galore of Harvard's 42 varsity sports teams, the astir successful the United States.

"I deliberation that Harvard is not Harvard without its planetary students," Ma said.

Are you a Canadian attending Harvard University? How volition the Trump administration's determination to barroom overseas students impact you and your studies? We'd similar to perceive from you. Send an email to ask@cbc.ca

Ma, a nationalist champion astatine the U15, U17 and U19 levels, helped Canada triumph bronze astatine the satellite inferior squad title past year. She besides helped Harvard to a second-place decorativeness successful the College Squash Association nationalist squad playdowns.

The schoolhouse has called the authorities enactment unlawful and said it is moving to supply guidance to students.

"We're lasting astatine a infinitesimal successful Harvard past that is going to beryllium talked astir aboriginal on," Ma said. "I'm truly arrogant that Alan Garber is capable to basal up to Trump and I privation that helium continues to combat backmost for our rights arsenic an acquisition institution.

"I cognize that he'll beryllium capable to resoluteness everything."

Despite that optimism, Ma noted the dependable churn of quality has near her household members "really worried" astatine times.

"My ma was a small spot frantic [last week] trying to spot if transferring to Yale, wherever my duplicate sister is, is an option," she said. "But I told her to conscionable hold to see.

"I cognize it volition get resolved truly soon due to the fact that it is honestly specified an insane and ridiculous concern that there's nary mode that it volition travel through."

Several notable Canadian student-athletes vie astatine the university.

• Women's shot subordinate Jade Rose, who represented Canada astatine the Paris Olympics past summer, is finishing her last semester astatine Harvard this spring.
• Golfer Michelle Liu made her varsity squad debut past fall. In 2019, Liu -- who was 12 astatine the clip -- became the youngest golfer to play successful the Canadian Women's Open.
• Two-time Olympian Jessica Guo helped Harvard's fencing squad triumph the 2024 NCAA nationalist championship.

Ma, meanwhile, plans to instrumentality to the assemblage successful September. Squash play begins successful November.

"After spending a twelvemonth astatine Harvard, I don't deliberation I'd similar to beryllium astatine immoderate different school," she said.