The university calls the move retaliatory and damaging, following a federal investigation and funding freeze amid broader crackdowns on elite US institutions.
Washington | May 23, 2025
Harvard University has issued a sharp rebuke to the Trump administration after being barred from enrolling international students, calling the decision “unlawful” and a threat to the university’s academic and global mission.
In an official statement on Friday, Harvard spokesperson Jason Newton said the administration’s decision to revoke the university’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification would cause “serious harm” to both Harvard and the United States.
“This retaliatory action threatens serious harm to the Harvard community and our country, and undermines Harvard’s academic and research mission,” Newton said.
“We are fully committed to maintaining Harvard’s ability to host international students and scholars, who enrich the University — and this nation — immeasurably.”
Harvard currently hosts over 6,000 international students, making up 27.3% of its student body for the 2024–2025 academic year.
The decision comes amid a broader clampdown by the Trump administration on elite universities, with the White House previously freezing $2.2 billion in federal funding to Harvard. That move was linked to allegations of antisemitism, violent campus activity, and foreign influence, particularly accusations of coordination with the Chinese Communist Party — all of which Harvard has denied or not responded to publicly.
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DHS Justifies Move
In a public statement, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the revocation, stating:
“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.”
Noem said Harvard “lost its SEVP certification” due to its “failure to adhere to the law” and ongoing concerns stemming from a Department of Homeland Security investigation.
Trump’s Six Conditions for Reinstatement
To reverse the international student ban, the administration has set six conditions Harvard must meet, including:
- Submitting all records (electronic, audio, and video) regarding illegal or violent actions by non-immigrant students in the past five years.
- Providing documentation on any threats or rights violations involving foreign students.
- Sharing all disciplinary records of non-immigrant students.
- Handing over all available footage of protests involving international students since 2020.
- Cooperating fully with DHS and federal investigations related to campus activity.
- Establishing transparent protocols for monitoring international student conduct and campus speech.
Harvard has not indicated whether it will comply with these demands but is reportedly preparing to challenge the directive legally.
Broader Implications
The development is likely to send shockwaves across US higher education, where international students contribute significantly both academically and financially. The move also raises new questions about the intersection of immigration, academic freedom, and national security under the Trump administration’s second term.
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Harvard University, Trump administration, international students, SEVP ban, US immigration policy, DHS investigation, higher education crackdown, foreign student visa, Kristi Noem, Jason Newton, elite universities, US-China relations