The Donald Trump administration took extreme measures on the 22nd (local time) to revoke the foreign student enrollment eligibility at Harvard University. The Trump administration made this decision because Harvard rejected requests to change its educational policy related to combating anti-Semitism, and Harvard strongly opposed it, calling it an 'illegal action.'
Kristi Noem, Minister of the Department of Homeland Security, stated through social media X (formerly Twitter) that Harvard lost its certification for the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) for not complying with the law. SEVP is a program under the Department of Homeland Security responsible for issuing and managing student visas (I-20), and without this certification, foreign students cannot enroll.
The Department of Homeland Security warned that Harvard can no longer enroll new foreign students, and that currently enrolled foreign students will lose their legal residency status if they do not transfer schools.
Authorities criticized that Harvard created an unsafe campus by allowing 'anti-American and pro-terrorism individuals to commit physical violence against Jewish students and disrupt their right to learn.' Additionally, they claimed that many of these individuals are of foreign status, and that Harvard has collaborated with a paramilitary organization of the Chinese Communist Party implicated in the genocide of Uyghurs to invite and educate its members.
The Department of Homeland Security explained that it implemented sanctions because Harvard failed to respond to a request for information on foreign students' criminal backgrounds by the end of April. Minister Noem noted, 'Benefits from tuition and donations are privileges, not rights,' and remarked that 'Harvard denied an opportunity to make the right choice.'
In response, Harvard issued a statement saying, 'The actions of the Department of Homeland Security are illegal,' and asserted, 'We are committed to continuing to accommodate foreign students and scholars from over 140 countries.'
Previously, the Trump administration demanded Harvard change its policies to prevent the spread of anti-Semitism on campus, but the university rejected this, considering it an 'infringement on academic freedom.' Subsequently, the Trump administration halted federal funding to Harvard, which, in return, has filed a lawsuit.
With the revocation of SEVP certification, thousands of foreign students at Harvard are suddenly at risk of losing their residency status, causing anticipated repercussions in the international community and academia.