Islamabad, May 23, 2025: In a stunning escalation of his immigration crackdown, former U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has stripped Harvard University of its ability to enroll international students for the 2025-2026 academic year, citing national security and ideological concerns.
The decision has sparked widespread backlash from lawmakers, education experts, and global observers, reigniting debates over academic freedom, international collaboration, and political interference in U.S. higher education.
The Trump administration has revoked Harvard University’s certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, effectively barring it from admitting new international students and putting the legal status of current ones in jeopardy.
The move, announced by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, is being framed as a national security measure — but critics are calling it a politically motivated assault on academic independence.
Secretary Noem accused Harvard of “fostering violence, promoting antisemitism, and maintaining ties with the Chinese Communist Party.”
As a result, the Department of Homeland Security has ordered the university to hand over detailed records of foreign students’ activities — including audio and video of protests — within 72 hours if it hopes to regain its certification.
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Currently, international students make up approximately 27% of Harvard’s student body, with around 6,800 enrolled for the 2024–2025 academic year. The majority hail from China, followed by Canada, India, South Korea, and other nations.
This action not only threatens the academic journey of thousands but also targets a major revenue stream for U.S. universities, as foreign students typically pay higher tuition.
Harvard responded strongly, calling the move “retaliatory and unlawful,” asserting that it undermines its mission of global research and education. “This retaliatory action threatens serious harm to the Harvard community and our country,” the university said in a statement.
The revocation follows Harvard’s refusal to comply with Noem’s demands for records of foreign students. Critics argue the administration is weaponizing immigration policy against institutions that have pushed back against Trump’s political narrative.
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Aaron Reichlin-Melnick from the American Immigration Council labeled the action “a needless punishment of thousands of innocent students,” pointing out that none of them were accused of wrongdoing. “They’re just collateral damage in a political power play,” he added.
Congressional Democrats, including Rep. Jamie Raskin, slammed the decision, calling it “an intolerable attack on academic freedom.” Meanwhile, a federal judge recently ruled that the government could not terminate foreign students’ legal status without due process, although it remains unclear how that ruling impacts the specific case against Harvard.
In recent weeks, the Trump administration has already frozen $3 billion in federal grants to the Ivy League institution.
On top of that, the Department of Health and Human Services announced the termination of another $60 million in funding, citing alleged failures to combat antisemitism and discrimination.
The crackdown could extend beyond Harvard. When asked if similar actions might be taken against other universities like Columbia, Noem responded, “Absolutely, we are. This should be a warning.”
Experts believe this could trigger a chilling effect across academia, especially for schools with large international populations or those seen as politically opposed to the Trump administration’s agenda.
