US President Bars Harvard From Enrolling Foreign Students; University Calls It "Unlawful" (Photo on X@NoLieWithBTC)
United States: US President Donald Trump revoked Harvard University of its ability to enroll international students, surprising foreign students as well as the American public. Foreign students who are currently pursuing their studies in the university are also concerned about their future.
The moves come amid an ongoing investigation into Harvard by the Department of Homeland Security alleging that the university created an unsafe campus environment. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem accused the university of nurturing violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party, adding that its ability to admit international students is a privilege, and not a right.
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“They have lost their Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification as a result of their failure to adhere to the law. Let this serve as a warning to all universities and academic institutions across the country,” Noem wrote on X.
This administration is holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus.
It is a privilege, not a right, for universities to enroll foreign students and benefit from their higher tuition payments… pic.twitter.com/12hJWd1J86
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) May 22, 2025
Notably, the latest action against Harvard follows the university’s refusal to agree to a list of demands placed by the Trump administration related to its diversity programmes and response to pro-Palestine protests.
Reacting to the decision, Harvard has slammed the Trump administration for its latest move targeting the elite institution, calling the action “unlawful.” In a statement, the university said that it is fully committed to maintaining its ability to host international students and scholars, who hail from more than 140 countries and enrich the university, suggesting that it ensures international diversity in the institution.
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Harvard spokesperson Jason Newton said that the action threatens serious harm and undermines Harvard’s academic and research mission. In April this year, the President called Harvard a “joke”, suggesting it should lose its government research contracts. Earlier, the university had refused demands that it accept outside political supervision.
The administration has also threatened to revoke the student Exchange Visitor Program certification, which is required by educational institutions to host students of several visa types.
The Homeland Security Secretary had given a deadline for the university to provide detailed records on what she called the “illegal and violent activities” of foreign students on campus, which the university later said provided the requested information to the agency.
For the past year, there has been a wider crackdown on pro-Palestine protests at universities across the US. The US administration accuses Harvard of promoting antisemitism and harbouring pro-Hamas sympathisers. The administration has also made cuts in federal funding, totaling more than $2.6 billion, forcing the university to pursue a lawsuit accusing the administration of defying the US Constitution.
