Trump administration bars Harvard from enrolling foreign students; university calls move ‘unlawful, retaliatory’

In an escalation of tensions with Harvard University, US President Donald Trump’s administration has revoked the Ivy League institution’s authority to enrol international students.

The decision, announced by the Department of Homeland Security on Thursday, means that around 6,800 foreign students currently studying at Harvard will either have to transfer to other universities or leave the United States altogether. “This means Harvard can no longer enrol foreign students and existing foreign students must transfer or lose their legal status,” the department said in its statement, AP reported.

Accusations of antisemitism, foreign influence fuel crackdown

The federal agency claimed Harvard had fostered an “unsafe campus environment,” alleging that “anti-American, pro-terrorist agitators” had assaulted Jewish students. It also accused the university of ties with the Chinese Communist Party, saying it had “hosted and trained members of a Chinese paramilitary group as recently as 2024.”

Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said the sanction is a direct consequence of Harvard’s failure to cooperate with a previous request for records on foreign students potentially linked to protests or campus unrest.

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“The unfortunate result of Harvard’s failure to comply with simple reporting requirements,” Noem wrote in a letter to the university on Thursday.

Her department now demands that Harvard hand over all records including audio and video of foreign students involved in any form of protest or “dangerous activity” on campus within 72 hours. Noem added, “This administration is holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus.”

Harvard pushes back, calls the move retaliatory 

Harvard has condemned the decision, describing it as “unlawful” and warning it could have damaging consequences for both the university and the broader academic community. “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 university’s president, Alan Garber, defended Harvard’s conduct, stating that it had introduced sweeping reforms to tackle antisemitism and ensure campus safety over the past 18 months. However, he insisted the institution would not compromise its “core, legally-protected principles” in the face of political pressure.

He also disputed the federal government’s implication that foreign students posed a particular threat: “I wasn’t aware of evidence to support the administration’s allegation that its international students were more prone to disruption, violence, or other misconduct than any other students.”

Also Read:Harvard sues Trump administration to unfreeze $2.2 billion in research funds amid federal crackdown

Funding slashed, tax-exempt status under threat

This latest move comes amid a broader campaign by the Trump administration against Harvard. The White House has already slashed $2.6 billion in federal research grants and is reportedly exploring ways to strip the university of its tax-exempt status.

Harvard was the first of several elite institutions to openly defy the Trump administration’s demands for structural and ideological reforms. In response, the government has increasingly treated the university as a political opponent, demanding detailed records about campus protests and foreign affiliations.

With the upcoming academic year in jeopardy for thousands of international students, the university now faces a 72-hour deadline that could determine whether it can rejoin the federal student visa system for the 2025–26 academic year.

(With inputs from AP)