The Trump administration is taking decisive action against Harvard’s ability to sponsor foreign students through the Student and Exchange Visitor Visa Program.
The move comes in response to what DHS has characterized as Harvard’s “pro-terrorist conduct” during recent campus protests and its refusal to comply with federal records requests.
The decision stems from Harvard’s alleged pattern of ignoring DHS requests for information regarding foreign students involved in campus demonstrations.
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem made it clear that universities are not entitled to host international students without adhering to legal obligations and national security standards.
“This administration is holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus,” said Noem. “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. Harvard had plenty of opportunity to do the right thing. It refused.”
As a result, Harvard will be prohibited from enrolling new international students in the 2025–2026 academic year. Current international students must either transfer to another institution or risk losing their legal status in the United States by the start of the next academic year.
In a formal letter addressed to Maureen Martin, Harvard’s director of immigration services, Noem cited the university’s “brazen refusal” to turn over critical behavioral records, including protest footage, disciplinary files, and data concerning potential threats posed by student visa holders.
The letter also cited Harvard’s promotion of “pro-Hamas rhetoric,” discriminatory DEI practices, and an unsafe environment for Jewish students as grounds for termination of the program.
Noem gave Harvard a 72-hour window to comply with federal requests and potentially restore the visa program for the following year. She characterized the revocation as the “direct result of Harvard’s epic failure to comply with simple reporting requirements.”
Harvard, however, called the DHS action “unlawful.” In a statement, university spokesperson Jason Newton defended the institution’s right to host international students, calling the move “retaliatory” and claiming it would inflict “serious harm” on the university and the nation. “We are working quickly to provide guidance and support to members of our community,” Newton said.
The Trump administration’s DHS has requested five years of records involving any visa-holding students who participated in campus protests or engaged in violent, illegal, or threatening conduct.
They also asked for surveillance footage of demonstrations and documentation of whether student protesters threatened or deprived others of their rights.
Noem emphasized that the administration would not tolerate evasion of federal law, especially by elite institutions benefiting from federal research funding and generous endowments. She warned that other universities should take this as a cautionary tale.
“Consequences must follow to send a clear signal to Harvard and all universities that want to enjoy the privilege of enrolling foreign students, that the Trump administration will enforce the law and root out the evils of antisemitism in society and campuses,” Noem added.
The crackdown comes after widespread pro-Gaza demonstrations erupted on campuses across the U.S. in the wake of Hamas’s brutal October 7 attacks on Israeli civilians. These protests, often accused of veering into antisemitic territory, have fueled calls for federal intervention—particularly as universities have been slow to respond.
Last month, Harvard attempted to blunt potential fallout by announcing that international students could accept admission to both Harvard and a foreign university, a notable departure from its usual “commit by May 1” policy. This change came amid escalating warnings from the Trump administration about targeting Harvard’s authorization to host foreign students.
At least a dozen international students have reportedly already lost their authorization to study in the U.S. due to protest-related activity, and more visa cancellations are likely on the horizon.
The Trump administration has also frozen nearly $3 billion in federal funding to Harvard—most of it allocated for research—and has launched sweeping investigations through the Departments of Justice, Education, and Health and Human Services. These probes are aimed at Harvard’s failure to eliminate antisemitism and eradicate divisive DEI policies that critics argue stoke racial resentment and political radicalism on campus.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio testified before Congress this week, stating that the State Department had likely revoked “thousands” of student visas already and would continue doing so. “We’re going to continue to revoke the visas of people who are here as guests and are disrupting our higher education facilities,” Rubio said. “A visa is a privilege, not a right.”
This move by DHS marks one of the most significant rebukes of an American university in modern history. It underscores a broader effort by the Trump administration to reassert federal authority over institutions seen as hostile to U.S. values, law enforcement, and national security.
The message from Washington is now unmistakable: universities that tolerate extremism, fail to protect Jewish students, and shield foreign agitators from scrutiny will pay a price.