I think it was more a punitive action against both foreigners and higher education in general. Remember that Trump doesn't care about anyone whose presence in t

I think it was more a punitive action against both foreigners and higher education in general. Remember that Trump doesn't care about anyone whose presence in the U.S. cannot directly benefit him, his family's businesses, his party, or his reelection campaign. Highly-educated people and naturalized citizens are among the least likely Trump voters you could imagine. Of course he doesn't care about how these sorts of actions affect universities and foreign students. He will take advantage of any opportunity to harm non-white, non-U.S. born people (see: literally everything he's done relating to immigration) and higher education (see: Title IX reforms and endowment taxes).