The Trump administration has stripped Harvard University of its certification to enroll international students, marking a dramatic escalation in its ongoing campaign against elite universities over diversity policies and campus unrest tied to the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the revocation of Harvard’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification, effectively blocking the school from admitting new foreign students. Existing international students have been given the option to transfer or face potential loss of their legal immigration status.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem justified the move in a letter accusing Harvard of creating a campus environment “hostile to Jewish students,” promoting “pro-Hamas sympathies,” and implementing what she called “racist DEI practices.” Noem added that the university’s refusal to hand over requested conduct records of international students triggered the decision.
“This action sends a clear message to academic institutions across the nation: federal privileges come with federal responsibilities,” DHS said in a statement.
Harvard swiftly condemned the move as retaliatory and unlawful. University spokesperson Jason Newton stated, “We are committed to our international students and scholars, and we are mobilizing resources to support them. This decision threatens to harm not just Harvard but American higher education broadly.”
Harvard’s international student population comprises nearly 10,000 individuals from over 140 countries, making up more than a quarter of its enrollment.
The White House defended the action, saying, “Enrolling foreign nationals is a privilege, not a right. Harvard has allowed its campus to become a breeding ground for anti-American, anti-Semitic rhetoric. This is a consequence of its inaction.”
Prominent Harvard faculty, including economist Jason Furman, criticized the decision. “It’s horrendous. International students are essential to Harvard’s excellence and to America’s global influence. This risks long-term damage to U.S. soft power and academic leadership.”
The move is part of a broader crackdown by the Trump administration targeting DEI initiatives and pro-Palestinian activism on college campuses nationwide.
