The Trump administration has moved to block Harvard from enrolling international students, marking a dramatic escalation in the federal government's crackdown on America's oldest university.
“This administration is holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus,” said a statement from Kristi Noem, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.
The move was almost immediately blocked by a federal judge after Harvard sued and pledged to keep its campus "open to the world."
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) suspended Harvard's certification in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, blocking students on F- and J- visas from enrolling at Harvard for the 2025-2026 academic year. The revocation also forces existing students on those visas to transfer to other schools in order to stay in the United States legally.
The Department of Homeland Security cited Harvard's alleged failure to control anti-Semitism on its campus, accusing the university of refusing to satisfy a request for information about criminal conduct by foreign students.
Additionally, the government cited Harvard's "racist DEI practices," and collaborations with Chinese researchers that raised national security concerns.
House Republicans are also probing Harvard for its alleged partnerships with Chinese military researchers, as well as Harvard's role in hosting a Chinese paramilitary group involved in the alleged genocide of the Uighurs.
The Trump administration's move sent a chill through higher education, as international students typically pay full tuition, making them a key source of revenue at many colleges.
"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," Noem said. "Harvard had plenty of opportunity to do the right thing. It refused."
The Trump administration's move caused turmoil for international students just a few days before graduation. Harvard quickly sued, and on Friday a federal judge in Boston, Allison Burroughs, blocked the federal government.
About a quarter of Harvard's students are foreign, with many hailing from China. Harvard cites its global connections as one of its strengths. As the university wrote in its lawsuit, "Without international students, Harvard is not Harvard."
"With the stroke of a pen, the government has sought to erase a quarter of Harvard’s student body, international students who contribute significantly to the University and its mission," the lawsuit states.
Harvard president Alan Garber condemned the government's action as the latest in a series of efforts to strip Harvard of its autonomy.
"We condemn this unlawful and unwarranted action. It imperils the futures of thousands of students and scholars across Harvard and serves as a warning to countless others at colleges and universities throughout the country who have come to America to pursue their education and fulfill their dreams," Garber said in a statement.
