Trump admin bars Harvard from enrolling foreign students citing campus unrest, China ties

The Trump administration has escalated its conflict with Harvard University by revoking the institution’s authorisation to enroll foreign students, a move that could force thousands of current foreign students to transfer or leave the United States.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the drastic measure on Thursday, citing Harvard’s alleged failure to maintain a safe campus environment. The DHS statement accused Harvard of permitting “anti-American, pro-terrorist agitators” to assault Jewish students and of collaborating with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), including hosting and training members of a Chinese paramilitary group as recently as 2024.

“This means Harvard can no longer enroll foreign students and existing foreign students must transfer or lose their legal status,” the agency declared.

Harvard, which enrolls nearly 6,800 international students—over a quarter of its student body—from more than 100 countries, primarily at the graduate level, swiftly condemned the action as unlawful. The university stated it is working to provide guidance to affected students.

“This retaliatory action threatens serious harm to the Harvard community and our country, and undermines Harvard’s academic and research mission,” Harvard’s statement read.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the decision, asserting that Harvard was being held “accountable for collaboration with the CCP, fostering violence, antisemitism, and pro-terrorist conduct from students on its campus.” She emphasized that “it is a privilege, not a right, for universities to enroll foreign students and benefit from their higher tuition payments to help pad their multibillion-dollar endowments.” Noem added that 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.”

Speaking on Fox News, Secretary Noem also issued a stern warning to other universities nationwide to “get your act together.” She stated, “This should be a warning to every other university to get your act together because we are coming to make sure that these programs… are facilitating an environment where students can learn, where they’re safe and that they’re not discriminated against based on their race or their religion.”

This latest action intensifies the Trump administration’s ongoing clash with Harvard, the nation’s oldest and wealthiest university. The conflict escalated after Harvard became the first institution to openly resist White House demands for changes at elite schools, which the administration has criticised as breeding grounds for liberalism and antisemitism. Previously, the federal government cut $2.6 billion in federal grants to Harvard, compelling the university to largely self-fund its extensive research operations. President Donald Trump has also expressed intentions to revoke Harvard’s tax-exempt status.

Also Read: Highest paid Indian CXO? Tesla CFO Vaibhav Taneja’s astonishing $139 million rise