The White House has stripped Harvard University of its ability to enroll international students, giving the Ivy League school 72 hours to comply with federal demands or risk losing its certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP).
The move follows what the administration describes as Harvard’s failure to confront antisemitism on campus and dismantle its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. President Donald Trump, since returning to office, has pushed universities to crack down on anti-Israel demonstrations—labeling them antisemitic—and eliminate DEI initiatives, which he claims fuel radicalism and division.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem made the announcement Thursday, sending a letter to Harvard President Alan Garber outlining the terms. The university must hand over all disciplinary records related to non-immigrant students from the past five years, along with any video, audio, or electronic evidence of what the government calls “illegal, dangerous, or violent” actions on campus.
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
“Harvard can no longer enroll foreign students, and existing foreign students must transfer or lose their legal status,” Noem warned. “Let this serve as a warning to all universities and academic institutions across the country.”
She further accused Harvard of “fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus.”
The revocation could impact nearly 6,800 international students, about 27% of Harvard’s student body for the 2024–25 academic year. Noem emphasized that enrolling foreign students is “a privilege, not a right,” and criticized the school for using high international tuition rates to bolster its multibillion-dollar endowment.
Harvard responded by calling the decision unlawful and politically motivated. “We are fully committed to maintaining Harvard’s ability to host international students and scholars, who hail from more than 140 countries and enrich the University – and this nation – immeasurably,” said university spokesperson Jason Newton.
The move escalates an ongoing political clash between the Trump administration and elite universities, as tensions grow over the institutions’ handling of pro-Palestinian protests. After Harvard initially resisted the federal demands and promised to address the issues internally, the administration froze $2.2 billion in federal funding—part of a larger review of nearly $9 billion in public grants tied to the university and its affiliates.
