The Trump administration has banned Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students amid allegations that the Ivy League institution has fostered an unsafe environment, allowing anti-American activities.
Read the tweet below.
This week, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) banned Harvard’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification, forcing nearly 6,800 foreign students to transfer or leave the country.
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem did not mince words when announcing the decision.
She stated, “This administration is holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus.”
The accusation comes after months of tension between the prestigious university and the Trump administration over campus protests and alleged harassment of Jewish students.
The revocation means immediate and severe consequences for thousands of international students from over 100 countries who make up more than 27% of Harvard’s student body.
Current students must quickly find another institution or face deportation, while prospective international students will need to look elsewhere.
Secretary Noem made it clear that hosting foreign students is a privilege, not a right.
“This means Harvard can no longer enroll foreign students and existing foreign students must transfer or lose their legal status,” the Department of Homeland Security stated firmly.
The conflict escalated when Secretary Noem requested information about foreign students involved in violence or protests, particularly those targeting Jewish students.
Harvard refused to comply with these demands, describing the administration’s action as “unlawful” and claiming it “threatens serious harm to the Harvard community and our country.”
This is not the first time the Trump administration has taken strong action against the university. The federal government had previously frozen $2.6 billion in federal grants over disputes related to DEI programs.
The administration has also threatened Harvard’s tax-exempt status as part of broader efforts to combat what it sees as antisemitism and anti-American sentiment on college campuses.
While liberal groups and Harvard College Democrats have predictably criticized the move as “authoritarian,” many Americans support the administration’s decision to take a stand against institutions that receive billions in taxpayer dollars.
The message from the Trump administration is clear: American universities must protect their students from harassment and violence, regardless of the perpetrators’ citizenship status, or face serious consequences.
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
