The Trump administration has taken a drastic step by revoking Harvard University's eligibility to accept foreign students. This decision was made because Harvard failed to respond to demands for changes in campus policies to eliminate anti-Semitism. However, there are analyses suggesting that President Donald Trump, whose approval ratings have recently wavered, has targeted Harvard as a symbolic focus to consolidate his base.
On the 22nd (local time), Kristi Noem, the Minister of the Department of Homeland Security, stated via X (formerly Twitter) that "Harvard has lost its certification for the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) due to its non-compliance with the law." SEVP is a key eligibility requirement for international students to obtain a U.S. visa, and if the certification is revoked, the university cannot issue I-20 documents to foreign students. This effectively stops the registration of international students.
The Department of Homeland Security stated in a press release that Harvard can no longer accept foreign students and that existing foreign students must transfer to maintain their visas. Foreign students comprise about 27% (around 7,000) of Harvard's student population. An immediate disruption in tuition revenue is unavoidable, and consequences such as interruptions in research projects are also expected.
The Trump administration criticizes Harvard for turning a blind eye to anti-Semitic acts on campus and for neglecting issues concerning the human rights of Uighurs through cooperation with China. However, some interpret this action as part of a cultural war aimed at rallying support for the 'Make America Great Again' base.
Since taking office, President Trump has expressed animosity towards progressive elites, demanding the elimination of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies. Harvard publicly opposed this last month, stating, "We will not negotiate our constitutional rights."
In this context, the anti-Semitic shooting incident that occurred near the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C., the day before, is suggested to have served as a justification for this action. The U.S. media outlet The Hill reported, "It is clear that President Trump believes he can gain political advantages through the conflict with Harvard."
Harvard is considering legal responses to this action. The university stated in a statement, "We will continue to make efforts to attract students and researchers from over 140 countries worldwide." There are also predictions that, based on substantial endowment assets, the immediate financial impact will not be significant. As of last year, Harvard's endowment assets amounted to approximately 73 trillion won (approximately $53.2 billion).
The Democratic Party and the progressive camp have strongly opposed this. Representative Pramila Jayapal criticized the action on social media as "dangerous and illegal measures," calling it "a typical behavior of a dictator." The U.S. civil society group FIRE also denounced it as "an un-American retaliatory measure."