US President Donald Trump on Thursday blocked Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students, while also warning to expand the crackdown to other colleges.
The Trump administration stated that it would be doing so as an ongoing investigation into the university by the Department of Homeland Security. The department is forcing currently enrolled foreign students to either transfer to other schools or lose their legal status, news agency Reuters reported.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has directed the department to revoke Harvard University’s certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, effective for the 2025–2026 academic year, according to an official statement.
She said in a post on X, “This administration is holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus,” and that it is a “privilege, not a right” to be able to enrol international students at the university.
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She further stated that the higher tuition fees from the international students helps the university “pad their multibillion-dollar endowments”.
“Harvard had plenty of opportunity to do the right thing. It refused. They have lost their Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification as a result of their failure to adhere to the law,” the post read.
However, the letter sent to Harvard University mentioned that if Harvard wants the opportunity of regaining Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification before the upcoming academic school year back, they should it must submit the required information within “72 hours”.
Harvard has called the move a retaliatory action, which poses serious harm to the university. “The government’s action is unlawful. We are fully committed to maintaining Harvard’s ability to host international students and scholars, who hail from more than 140 countries and enrich the University – and this nation – immeasurably”, the university said in a statement.
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