The Trump administration has barred Harvard University from enrolling international students, the Department of Homeland Security announced.
On May 22, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted on his X account, stating that the administration is “holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus.”
She added, “It is a privilege, not a right, for universities to enrol foreign students and benefit from their higher tuition payments to help pay their multibillion-dollar endowments. Harvard had plenty of opportunity to do the right thing. It refused.”
Noem addressed a letter to Harvard’s leadership stating that the university’s certification for the Student Exchange Visitor Program has been rescinded.
ALSO READ:
Blow to international students as Trump cuts federal grants to Harvard University
This program, managed by Homeland Security Investigations under her department, enables institutions to accept international students.
The revocation not only prevents Harvard from admitting new foreign students but also requires those already enrolled to transfer to other institutions to maintain their immigration status.
Harvard on their side responded by calling the decision both “unlawful” and a “retaliatory action.”
“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 university said in a statement.
This decision intensifies the ongoing conflict between Harvard and the Trump administration, which had already imposed three rounds of funding and grant cuts totalling over $2.6 billion. Harvard has refused to comply with several demands concerning its diversity initiatives and handling of pro-Palestine protests.
Harvard is currently pursuing legal action against the administration, claiming its moves are unconstitutional.
ALSO READ:
In a recent appeal to alumni, Harvard President Alan Garber urged support and donations to help the institution navigate what he described as an unprecedented crisis. His message introduced two new funding initiatives: the Presidential Priorities Fund and the Presidential Fund for Research.
Immigration attorney Leon Fresco described the administration’s decision as both financially damaging for Harvard and “a major problem” for affected students.
“If the foreign students cannot attend the university, they get their tuition payments back that they’ve already paid to the university for this upcoming semester,” he told Al Jazeera, noting Harvard’s dependence on those funds.
Fresco emphasized that legal channels exist to contest the revocation, explaining that the rules require formal notice and specific reasons related to non-compliance with the program. “It can’t be a politically ideologically based revocation, that doesn’t exist in the regulations,” he said.
By Cornelius Korir
You can also follow our social media pages on Twitter: Education News KE and Facebook: Education News Newspaper for timely updates.
>>> Click here to stay up-to-date with trending regional stories
>>> Click here to read more informed opinions on the country’s education landscape
