Baston: The Trump administration has revoked Harvard University’s certification to enroll international students, compelling current foreign enrollees to transfer or risk losing their legal status in the United States. The decision, which could ripple across the American higher education system, signals a broader enforcement agenda aimed at other elite universities.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the termination of Harvard’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification for the 2025-2026 academic year. In a formal statement, Noem accused Harvard of “fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party.”
Harvard condemned the action as unlawful, asserting that it constitutes political retaliation that threatens both its academic integrity and the broader U.S. education system. The university emphasized its commitment to educating international students, who make up a significant portion of its student body.
“This retaliatory action threatens serious harm to the Harvard community and our country, and undermines Harvard’s academic and research mission,” the university said in a statement.
Harvard enrolled approximately 6,800 international students during the 2024–2025 academic year, comprising 27% of its total student population. The largest contingent came from China, followed by students from Canada, India, South Korea, the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, Singapore, and Japan.
Noem has demanded that Harvard hand over extensive documentation on foreign students, including five years’ worth of video or audio records of their protest activities, within 72 hours if it wishes to regain certification.
“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,” Noem said.
The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The revocation is the latest flashpoint in an escalating standoff between the Trump administration and Harvard. Earlier this year, the university declined to comply with a federal request for information about certain visa holders, prompting further scrutiny. The administration has also frozen $3 billion in federal grants to Harvard, prompting the university to file a lawsuit seeking to restore the funding.
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In a separate but related legal challenge, a federal judge ruled that the administration could not revoke the legal status of international students without adhering to proper regulatory procedures. The implications of that decision for the Harvard case remain uncertain.
U.S. Representative Jaime Raskin condemned the revocation, calling it an “intolerable attack on Harvard’s independence and academic freedom” and suggesting it was direct retaliation for the university’s past resistance to the administration.
In a Fox News interview, Noem confirmed the administration is considering similar action against other institutions, including Columbia University.
“Absolutely, we are,” she said. “This should be a warning to every other university to get your act together.”
Since taking office in January, Trump has pursued an aggressive immigration and education policy agenda. His administration has moved to revoke visas and green cards of foreign students participating in pro-Palestinian protests, while also attempting to reshape private institutions he claims promote “radical left” ideologies.
Harvard, a frequent target of Trump’s criticism, has drawn ire for its affiliations with Democratic leaders and for allegedly failing to address antisemitism on campus. The Department of Health and Human Services recently terminated an additional $60 million in grants to the university, citing those concerns.
In response, Harvard said it is committed to combating antisemitism and ensuring a safe environment for all students, including those who are Jewish and Israeli.
Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, condemned the administration’s actions: “None of them have done anything wrong, they’re just collateral damage to Trump,” he said on the social platform Bluesky.
