NEW YORK: The United States government on Thursday revoked Harvard University’s right to enrol foreign students, citing national security concerns, allegations of antisemitism, and non-compliance with federal information requests.
The move marks a significant escalation in the Trump administration’s ongoing confrontation with the Ivy League institution.
In a letter addressed to Harvard President Alan M. Garber, US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem announced that the university’s certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) had been revoked with immediate effect, according to a statement from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The revocation means Harvard can no longer admit new international students on F-1 or J-1 non-immigrant visas for the upcoming 2025–2026 academic year.
It also places the legal status of the university’s current international student body — estimated at more than 6,000 — in jeopardy.
“This administration is holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus,” Noem wrote in the letter, excerpts of which were published by the New York Times.
“It is a privilege, not a right, for universities to enrol foreign students and benefit from their higher tuition payments to help pad their multibillion-dollar endowments.”
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Noem reiterated the administration’s concerns, citing a hostile campus environment for Jewish students, promotion of pro-Hamas sentiments, and discriminatory diversity and inclusion policies.
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
The DHS action follows an unresolved demand first issued to Harvard on 16 April, requesting detailed records on international students’ campus activities, including participation in protests.
Although the university submitted a partial response on 30 April, Noem said the records were “insufficient” and failed to meet “simple reporting requirements”.
In her latest communication, Noem accused the university of ignoring a second request for additional documentation and warned that Harvard had “lost the privilege” of hosting foreign students.
International students currently enrolled at Harvard must now transfer to another SEVP-certified institution, change their immigration status, or prepare to leave the country, according to the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) guidelines.
Harvard has been given 72 hours to submit the required documents — including audio, video, and disciplinary records related to protest activity by international students over the past five years — if it hopes to regain SEVP certification before the new academic term begins.
It remains unclear whether full compliance would automatically restore the university’s ability to host international students.
Harvard University and the White House have not issued official responses to the revocation.
The decision comes just one week before commencement ceremonies are scheduled, leaving thousands of students uncertain about their future.
According to Harvard’s official data, 788 students from India are currently enrolled at the university, with total international enrolment ranging from 500 to 800 students and scholars annually.
