The Trump administration on Thursday revoked Harvard University’s authorization to enroll international students, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between the White House and the Ivy League institution over the university’s autonomy and compliance with administration policy demands.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced in a statement that “Harvard can no longer enroll foreign students, and existing foreign students must transfer or lose their legal status.” This decision stems from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s directive to terminate Harvard’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification.
Secretary Noem, in a letter to Harvard, cited the university’s refusal to comply with a DHS request last month to provide conduct records of foreign students. She accused Harvard of “perpetuating an unsafe campus environment that is hostile to Jewish students, promotes pro-Hamas sympathies, and employs racist ‘diversity, equity and inclusion’ practices.” The DHS statement also included a warning to “all universities and academic institutions across the country.”
Harvard swiftly condemned the administration’s action as “unlawful,” asserting its “full commitment 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.” University spokesperson Jason Newton stated, “We are working quickly to provide guidance and support to members of our community. This retaliatory action threatens serious harm to the Harvard community and our country, and undermines Harvard’s academic and research mission.”
The revocation of Harvard’s SEVP certification could significantly impact the university’s student body. Harvard reports an international academic population of 9,970 individuals, with data indicating that 6,793 international students comprise 27.2% of the 2024-25 enrollment.
Concerns have been raised by Harvard staff regarding the potential damage to the university’s academic standing and the broader implications for American academia. Harvard economics professor and former Obama administration official Jason Furman described the measure as “horrendous on every level.” He emphasized the invaluable contributions of international students to the university, innovation, and U.S. soft power, urging for a swift reversal of the decision to mitigate further damage.
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