Trump administration bars Harvard from enrolling foreign students

In a dramatic escalation of tensions between the Trump administration and elite U.S. universities, Harvard University has been barred from enrolling international students for the 2025–26 academic year. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the decision on Thursday, revoking Harvard’s certification under the federal Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), a move that could force nearly 6,800 foreign students to transfer or leave the country.

Citing concerns over campus safety, DHS accused Harvard of allowing “anti-American, pro-terrorist agitators” to assault Jewish students and fostering an unsafe environment through alleged coordination with the Chinese Communist Party. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the university’s actions violated national security standards and claimed Harvard had hosted and trained members of a Chinese paramilitary group as recently as 2024.

“This administration is holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus,” Noem said in a strongly worded statement. She added that the university has 72 hours to hand over detailed records of foreign students, including video and audio recordings of any protest activity or risk permanent loss of its ability to host international students.

Harvard, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of the oldest and most prestigious academic institutions in the world. International students account for over a quarter of its population, with the majority enrolled in graduate programs. In response to the ban, Harvard condemned the decision as “unlawful and retaliatory,” and said it is working urgently to support affected students and challenge the order.

“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.

The action is part of a broader crackdown by the Trump administration on institutions it views as politically hostile. Harvard has been at the forefront of criticism from the White House, particularly after it became the first major university to publicly oppose administration demands to reform elite schools accused of harboring antisemitic and anti-American sentiments.

Over the past year, the administration has already slashed $2.6 billion in federal grants to Harvard and threatened to strip it of its tax-exempt status. The latest move is seen by many as an extension of that campaign. Harvard President Alan Garber has warned that the university will not abandon its legally protected principles of academic freedom and free speech, despite political pressure.

In a letter accompanying the DHS order, Secretary Noem emphasized that Harvard’s failure to comply with “basic reporting requirements” led to the enforcement action. The university, she said, can reverse the ban if it hands over a trove of documents detailing the activities and affiliations of its international students.

Harvard has denied the administration’s claims that its students pose a greater threat than others. “We are not aware of evidence to support the allegation that our international students are more prone to disruption, violence, or other misconduct,” Garber said earlier this month.

The move has sparked outrage from student groups, academic leaders, and civil liberties advocates. The Harvard College Democrats described the action as a “textbook example of authoritarianism” and accused the administration of using students’ lives as political pawns.

“This is an attack on academic freedom and a dangerous attempt to silence dissent on campus,” the group said.

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, a free speech advocacy group, also condemned the administration’s surveillance demand, calling it a “sweeping fishing expedition” into protected student activity.

Meanwhile, Homeland Security officials said the action is in part based on concerns raised by a federal antisemitism task force, which reported a failure by Harvard to adequately protect Jewish students from harassment amid ongoing pro-Palestinian protests. As supporting evidence, DHS cited a recent internal Harvard report documenting incidents of bias and discrimination.

The department also referenced long-standing Republican concerns about U.S. universities’ ties with China, claiming that Harvard provided training to the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps—a Chinese paramilitary group accused of human rights abuses. The claim originated from a Fox News article, which cited a letter from House Republicans.

Harvard has yet to respond in detail to the accusation but said it will reply to the congressional inquiry.

Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education, criticized the federal action as “illegal and small-minded,” warning that it could drive international students away from U.S. schools altogether.

“This sends a chilling message to students around the world,” he said. “America’s position as a leader in global education is at risk.