Boston: The Trump administration on Thursday revoked Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students, ordering current foreign enrollees to transfer or face the loss of legal status.
The decision marks an unprecedented escalation in President Donald Trump’s broader crackdown on US higher education institutions. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the termination of Harvard’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification, effective for the 2025-2026 academic year.
Noem accused the Ivy League university of “fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party,” and demanded Harvard submit video and audio records of foreign student protests from the past five years within 72 hours.
Harvard rejected the accusations and called the decision unlawful and retaliatory. In a statement, the university said, “This retaliatory action threatens serious harm to the Harvard community and our country, and undermines Harvard’s academic and research mission.”
The move affects thousands of international students, including over 1,000 Chinese nationals, followed by students from Canada, India, South Korea, and Europe. Foreign students are a key source of revenue for US universities, often paying full tuition.
This administration is holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus.
It is a privilege, not a right, for universities to enroll foreign students and benefit from their higher tuition payments… pic.twitter.com/12hJWd1J86
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) May 22, 2025
Noem defended the action, stating that, “It is a privilege, not a right, for universities to enroll foreign students and benefit from their higher tuition payments to help pad their multibillion-dollar endowments.”
The decision triggered sharp criticism from Democratic lawmakers. Immigration experts also condemned the move. Trump administration recently froze $3 billion in federal funding to Harvard and announced the termination of an additional $60 million in grants due to alleged antisemitism on campus.
A federal judge ruled Thursday that the administration cannot strip visa status from foreign students without proper procedures. It remains unclear how this decision will affect Harvard’s case.
Noem signaled that more universities could face similar action, saying: “This should be a warning to every other university to get your act together.”
