WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has barred Harvard University from enrolling international students after revoking its certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, escalating tensions between the White House and one of the nation’s most prominent academic institutions.
In a letter addressed to Harvard leadership, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the university had failed to comply with multiple requests for student-related information, prompting the government to decertify Harvard from the SEVP — a program that permits noncitizens to study in the United States under F and J nonimmigrant visas.
“As a result of your refusal to comply with multiple requests to provide the Department of Homeland Security pertinent information while perpetuating an unsafe campus environment that is hostile to Jewish students, promotes pro-Hamas sympathies, and employs racist ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ policies, you have lost this privilege,” Noem wrote.
The ruling means that Harvard is now prohibited from enrolling new international students under the SEVP for the 2025-2026 academic year. Additionally, current international students on F or J visas must transfer to another SEVP-certified institution to maintain their visa status.
Harvard officials sharply criticized the decision, describing it as retaliatory and unlawful.
“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 Thursday. “The government’s action is unlawful. 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.”
The revocation follows a formal request sent by Noem to Harvard in April, in which she demanded the university submit detailed data about student visa holders, including any involvement in protests, violent activity, disciplinary measures, or actions perceived as obstructing the campus learning environment. The request also included a call for academic records tied to visa compliance.
Noem stated Harvard’s response was inadequate and reaffirmed that student access to U.S. institutions through visa programs is “a privilege, not a right.”
“The revocation of your Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification means that Harvard is prohibited from having any aliens on F- or J-nonimmigrant status for the 2025-2026 academic school year,” Noem wrote. “Consequences must follow to send a clear signal to Harvard and all universities that want to enjoy the privilege of enrolling foreign students, that the Trump administration will enforce the law and root out the evils of anti-Americanism and antisemitism in society and campuses.”
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson echoed that sentiment, accusing Harvard of allowing a culture of extremism to flourish on campus.
“Harvard has turned their once-great institution into a hotbed of anti-American, antisemitic, pro-terrorist agitators,” Jackson said in a statement to ABC News. “They have repeatedly failed to take action to address the widespread problems negatively impacting American students and now they must face the consequences of their actions. Enrolling foreign students is a privilege, not a right.”
The revocation marks a significant escalation in the Trump administration’s ongoing clash with elite universities over campus speech, anti-Israel protests, and institutional policies viewed by conservatives as politically biased. Harvard’s SEVP status had previously allowed the school to admit thousands of international students annually.
Legal analysts say the decertification could set a precedent for future federal action against universities deemed noncompliant with immigration-related demands. Harvard is expected to challenge the decision in court, citing potential violations of due process and the impact on its academic freedom and global research mission.
