Washington, May 22, 2025 — The Trump administration has revoked Harvard University's ability to admit new international students, dramatically intensifying its ongoing ideological campaign against the prestigious Ivy League institution.
The decision, announced by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), also jeopardizes the legal status of the approximately 6,800 foreign students currently enrolled at Harvard — nearly 27% of its student body. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed the revocation of Harvard’s Student Exchange Program, stating the university must provide identifying information, including video and audio recordings, of students involved in campus protests within 72 hours to reinstate its enrollment privileges.
Harvard condemned the move as “illegal” and a clear act of political “retaliation.” “We remain fully committed to welcoming and supporting our international students and scholars, who come from over 140 countries and greatly enrich both the university and this nation,” said a university spokesperson in an official statement.
This latest development is part of a broader crackdown by the Trump administration. Earlier this month, the White House announced a $450 million cut in federal grants to Harvard from eight agencies, following the freezing of an additional $2.2 billion in April. Trump has also threatened to revoke the university’s tax-exempt status, accusing Harvard of failing to comply with federal demands to combat alleged antisemitism on campus.
In addition, DHS has accused Harvard of collaborating with the Chinese Communist Party and of facilitating activities by a paramilitary group allegedly involved in the Uyghur genocide. Secretary Noem wrote that Harvard has become a hub of “violence, antisemitism, and CCP coordination” and emphasized that accepting foreign students is “a privilege, not a right.”
The confrontation escalated in mid-April when DHS demanded that Harvard share confidential data on all international students allegedly involved in "dangerous" or "illegal" activities. Harvard’s refusal prompted the administration’s latest sanctions.
University President Alan Garber criticized the government's demands, stating they pose a direct threat to academic freedom. “While some government requests claim to address antisemitism, most represent an attempt at direct government regulation of intellectual life at Harvard,” Garber wrote.
Since March, faculty, students, and alumni have staged protests across the Harvard campus in defense of academic independence and international student rights. The administration’s actions have also sparked legal discussions, and Harvard is widely expected to challenge the decision in court.
The case could set a precedent in the ongoing power struggle between academic institutions and a White House determined to reshape higher education policy along ideological lines.