The Department of Homeland Security announced Thursday that it has revoked Harvard University’s certification to enroll international students, accusing the institution of endangering national security.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem ordered the termination of Harvard’s participation in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), effectively barring the university from admitting new foreign students and requiring current international enrollees to transfer or lose legal status.
“Harvard’s leadership has created an unsafe campus environment by permitting anti-American, pro-terrorist agitators to harass and physically assault individuals, including many Jewish students, and otherwise obstruct its once-venerable learning environment. Many of these agitators are foreign students,” the department said in a Thursday statement, adding that the university “further facilitated, and engaged in coordinated activity” with the Chinese Communist Party.
The action follows Harvard’s refusal to comply with an April 16 request from Noem for records on international students accused of criminal activity or other misconduct that would make them ineligible to remain in the US.
“This administration is holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus,” Noem wrote on X. “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.”
The move marks an escalation in the Trump administration’s efforts to hold elite universities accountable for what it calls “radical leftist” policies.
Last month, the administration froze over $2.2 billion in federal grants to Harvard after the university refused to eliminate its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and failed to address campus antisemitism.
Harvard swiftly condemned Thursday’s decision, calling the move illegal.
“We are fully committed to maintaining Harvard’s ability to host our international students and scholars, who hail from more than 140 countries and enrich the university — and this nation — immeasurably,” said Harvard spokesman Jason Newton. “We are working quickly to provide guidance and support to members of our community. This retaliatory action threatens serious harm to the Harvard community and our country, and undermines Harvard’s academic and research mission.”
According to university data, international students accounted for more than 27% of its student body during the 2024–2025 academic year.
In her letter to the university, Noem made clear that Harvard has 72 hours to provide the requested information if it wishes to regain its SEVP certification.