Trump Administration Halts Harvard’s Ability to Enroll International Students Over Antisemitism Concerns
The Trump administration has revoked Harvard University’s certification to enroll international students under the federal Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), citing concerns over antisemitism, violent campus protests, and alleged coordination with the Chinese Communist Party.
The move, confirmed in a letter from U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem on Thursday, is expected to impact thousands of foreign students enrolled or planning to study at Harvard — one of the world’s most prestigious universities.
“I am writing to inform you that, effective immediately, Harvard University’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification is revoked,” Noem stated in the official communication. The administration accused Harvard of “fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus.”
In a fiery social media post, Noem said, “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. Harvard had plenty of opportunity to do the right thing. It refused.”
The move marks a dramatic escalation in the Trump administration’s confrontation with elite academic institutions and comes amid rising political pressure on U.S. universities over campus protests, foreign influence, and free speech concerns.
Harvard University called the decision “unlawful” and signaled it would mount another legal challenge.
“This abrupt and unjustified revocation harms not only our international students but the principles of academic freedom and global cooperation that define higher education,” Harvard said in a statement Thursday evening.
This is the second lawsuit the university is expected to file in a matter of weeks. Last month, Harvard sued the administration over what it described as unconstitutional interference in its admissions and hiring policies.
Tensions escalated last month when the U.S. Department of Homeland Security requested detailed disciplinary records of international students. Harvard complied, but has not disclosed what data it shared.
On April 16, DHS first warned Harvard it could lose its certification if it failed to report on foreign student activity, including protest participation — a demand critics said targeted academic freedom and immigrant rights.
Thursday’s action comes as U.S. campuses face nationwide scrutiny amid pro-Palestinian protests, some of which have turned tense or violent. Harvard has faced criticism from conservative lawmakers over its handling of antisemitic incidents and its stance on Middle East politics.
Higher education experts and civil liberties advocates condemned the move, calling it a blow to U.S. global academic leadership.
“This is political retaliation dressed as national security,” said Nadine Strossen, former ACLU president. “Punishing universities for dissent is the hallmark of authoritarianism.”
On social media, reactions were sharply divided. Supporters of the administration praised the move as “long overdue,” while others warned it would harm America’s reputation and innovation economy.
International students make up nearly 25% of Harvard’s graduate school population and contribute significantly to academic research, tuition revenue, and campus diversity.
Without SEVP certification, Harvard cannot issue I-20 forms, the documents required for F-1 student visa applications. It is unclear how currently enrolled students will be affected, but legal scholars say existing visas may be under threat if the situation isn’t reversed soon.
