Trump Administration Bars Harvard from Enrolling International Students

The Trump administration has stripped Harvard University of its ability to enroll international students, citing the institution’s refusal to comply with federal demands – marking a significant escalation in the ongoing standoff between the White House and one of America’s most prestigious universities.

In a move announced Thursday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said it has revoked Harvard’s certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), meaning the university can no longer admit new international students, and existing ones must transfer or risk losing their legal status in the U.S.

The decision could affect over a quarter of Harvard’s student population. According to the university, international students make up 27.2% of its current enrollment, with nearly 7,000 individuals potentially impacted.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the action was triggered by Harvard’s refusal to hand over conduct records for international students, a request the university argued was unconstitutional and invasive. “Harvard has chosen defiance over cooperation,” Noem stated in a letter to the university, accusing it of fostering an environment hostile to Jewish students and failing to respond adequately to protests surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict.

The White House echoed those sentiments, framing the decision as a necessary response to what it called Harvard’s ideological radicalism. “Enrolling international students is a privilege, not a right,” said White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson, accusing the school of becoming “a hotbed of anti-American, anti-Semitic, pro-terrorist agitators.”

Harvard swiftly condemned the move, calling it “unlawful retaliation” and warning it could do lasting harm to the academic and cultural fabric of the university. “This punitive action jeopardizes the academic mission of our institution and the futures of thousands of students,” said Harvard spokesperson Jason Newton. The university added it was working to support affected students and planned to challenge the decision in court.

The announcement triggered immediate concern from faculty, students, and foreign governments. Jason Furman, a professor of economics and former Obama administration official, described the policy as “horrendous,” warning it would “devastate the innovative strength of American academia.”

Students, too, expressed anxiety and outrage. Austrian student Karl Molden, a rising junior currently abroad, said the news had left him fearing he might not be allowed back on campus. “International students are being caught in the middle of a broader fight between democracy and authoritarianism,” he said.

Australia’s ambassador to the U.S., Kevin Rudd, voiced concern over the fate of Australian nationals at Harvard and pledged consular support.

The administration’s decision follows months of friction between Harvard and federal officials. The university has resisted calls to overhaul campus policies, programming, and hiring practices as part of a broader federal crackdown on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and perceived anti-Semitism on college campuses.

While Harvard has made some adjustments – including renaming its Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging – the administration insists those efforts fall short. In addition to revoking SEVP certification, federal officials have frozen $2.2 billion in funding to the university and are reportedly exploring revoking its tax-exempt status.

Harvard’s faculty union, the American Association of University Professors chapter, condemned the administration’s actions as “a constitutional assault” and “an attack on the fundamental principles of academic freedom.”

As legal battles loom, the university community faces mounting uncertainty. Many fear that the removal of international students could have far-reaching consequences for research, campus diversity, and the U.S.’s standing in global higher education.

“This should be a warning to every other university to get your act together,” Noem said in a Thursday interview on Fox News.

For now, Harvard’s international students are left in limbo, their academic futures – and immigration status – hanging in the balance.