The Trump administration’s crackdown on Harvard University escalated this week as Homeland Security revoked the school’s ability to enroll international students, prompting legal action, political backlash, and renewed debate over the role of foreign nationals at U.S. universities.
At the center of the dispute is the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), which the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) terminated on Thursday. The decision, announced by DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, prevents Harvard from accepting foreign students and puts the legal status of thousands of currently enrolled visa holders at risk.
This administration is holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus,” Noem said in a statement, citing the university’s alleged failure to comply with federal demands for behavioral and protest-related records of its foreign students.
The move comes after weeks of pressure from the Trump administration, which demanded that Harvard turn over detailed documentation of any “illegal or violent activities” involving international students — even if not criminally charged.
Harvard immediately filed a lawsuit to block the revocation, arguing that the action was “arbitrary, capricious, unlawful, and unconstitutional.” A federal judge temporarily suspended the DHS order, allowing students to remain in the country while the case proceeds.
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The government’s action is unlawful,” said Harvard spokesperson Jason Newton. “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.
Newton also called the move a “retaliatory action” that threatens to disrupt Harvard’s academic mission and international engagement.
Former President Donald Trump has repeatedly accused Harvard of relying on U.S. taxpayer funds while enrolling large numbers of foreign students whose home countries contribute nothing financially to their education.
Why isn’t Harvard saying that almost 31% of their students are from FOREIGN LANDS… and yet those countries… pay NOTHING,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “We want those names and countries. Harvard has $52,000,000 — use it, and stop asking for the Federal Government to continue GRANTING money to you!
Donald Trump Truth Social 05.25.25 12:51 AM EST
Why isn’t Harvard saying that almost 31% of their students are from FOREIGN LANDS, and yet those countries, some not at all friendly to the United States, pay NOTHING toward their student’s education, nor do they ever intend to.…
— Commentary Donald J. Trump Posts From Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) May 25, 2025However, that “31%” figure has been corrected. According to a report by Statista, international students made up 27% of Harvard’s enrollment in the 2024/2025 academic year. Nearly 7,000 students from 147 countries are currently enrolled, with the top five countries of origin being China, Canada, India, South Korea, and the United Kingdom.
Harvard also reports that nearly 20% of its alumni live outside the United States, emphasizing the school’s global influence and network.
The Trump administration’s actions are part of a larger campaign targeting elite universities over claims of antisemitism, ideological bias, and excessive reliance on DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) programs. Officials have already frozen $2.2 billion in federal grants and $60 million in federal contracts tied to Harvard, with $9 billion in total funding now under review.
Secretary Noem previously warned that the administration would revoke visas of foreign students involved in protests, particularly those related to the war in Gaza, accusing some of supporting Hamas — a charge not substantiated with public evidence.
One Harvard Medical School researcher is also reportedly facing deportation under the administration’s expanded review of visa compliance.