TRUMP ADMINISTRATION REVOKES HARVARD’S ABILITY TO ENROLL FOREIGN STUDENTS, SPARKING GLOBAL OUTCRY AND LEGAL SHOWDOWN
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By Aishat Momoh. O
In a move that has sent shockwaves through the academic world, the Trump administration has revoked Harvard University’s certification to enroll foreign students, a decision that threatens the futures of thousands of international scholars and draws sharp criticism from educators, students, and foreign governments.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, in a letter signed by Secretary Kristi Noem, notified the Ivy League institution that its Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVIS) certification was “revoked effective immediately.” The decision bars Harvard from admitting new international students and puts those currently enrolled in legal limbo.
“This administration is holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus,” Noem said in a separate statement. The move follows escalating tensions between the Trump administration and the university over issues related to campus activism, governance, and foreign influence.
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The decision comes just weeks after Trump threatened to strip the university of its ability to host international students unless it submitted to federal oversight over its admissions and hiring practices. The administration has accused Harvard of promoting “woke” ideology and failing to address antisemitism on campus, claims the university has strongly denied.
In a swift and scathing response, Harvard called the move “unlawful” and vowed to challenge the decision in court.
“This retaliatory action threatens serious harm to the Harvard community and our country,” the university said in a statement. “We are fully committed to maintaining Harvard’s ability to host our international students and scholars.”
Foreign students currently make up over 27% of Harvard’s enrollment, with Chinese nationals comprising more than a fifth of that figure. The financial and academic impact of their sudden exclusion could be severe. Harvard charges tens of thousands of dollars in annual tuition and relies heavily on the global diversity of its student body.
China condemned the move, calling it an example of “politicizing educational exchanges.” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said, “This decision will only harm the image and international standing of the United States.”
The decision has sparked panic among students and faculty. Karl Molden, a 21-year-old Austrian government and classics student, said he had already applied to Oxford out of fear of such an outcome. “It’s scary and saddening,” Molden said. “This was the greatest privilege of my life.”
Fourth-year U.S. student Alice Goyer described widespread confusion among international students. “No one knows what this means yet. Everyone’s panicking,” she told AFP.
The American Association of University Professors’ Harvard chapter called the revocation “the latest in a string of nakedly authoritarian and retaliatory moves against America’s oldest institution of higher education.”
“The Trump administration is unlawfully seeking to destroy higher education in the United States,” the group said. “Universities cannot acquiesce to such extortion.”
Adding a twist to the rapidly unfolding legal saga, a federal judge in California issued a nationwide injunction late Thursday temporarily halting any terminations of international students’ legal status. Judge Jeffrey White said the administration had “wreaked havoc” on people’s lives and emphasized the need for “stability.”
It remains unclear how the ruling will specifically affect Harvard’s students. But legal experts suggest it could provide temporary relief while the university challenges the government’s decision in court.
The crackdown on Harvard follows a broader campaign by the Trump administration to target universities with student-led protests against Israel’s war in Gaza. According to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, thousands of student visas have already been revoked under a seldom-used provision allowing expulsions on national security grounds.
As the legal battle looms, Harvard and other academic institutions brace for what could be a defining moment for the future of international education in the United States.
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