The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has revoked Harvard University’s certification to enrol international students, a stunning and controversial move that critics say is politically motivated and legally questionable.
The revocation, announced Thursday by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, will take effect in the 2025–2026 academic year. It forces thousands of international students to transfer to other institutions or risk losing their immigration status.
Noem accused Harvard of “fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party,” adding, “It is a privilege, not a right, for universities to enrol foreign students and benefit from their higher tuition payments to pad multibillion-dollar endowments.”
The action comes after Harvard reportedly refused to hand over extensive data on international students, including surveillance footage and protest participation records dating back five years.
Harvard immediately condemned the decision as unlawful and retaliatory. In a statement, the university called the move “a direct attack on our academic mission and international community” and vowed to fight it. “We remain committed to supporting our students and defending our right to operate as an independent academic institution,” the statement read.
The impact is expected to be profound. Harvard hosted nearly 6,800 international students in the 2024–2025 academic year, roughly 27% of its total enrolment. The largest groups come from China, Canada, India, South Korea, and several European and Asia-Pacific nations.
The move is the latest in a string of federal actions targeting Harvard. Earlier this week, the Department of Health and Human Services cancelled $60 million in grants, citing the university’s “failure to adequately respond to ethnic and religious discrimination,” amid rising tensions over pro-Palestinian protests on campus.
This follows a freeze on nearly $3 billion in research funding earlier this year, which prompted Harvard to sue the federal government. That case is still pending.
Legal experts are also closely watching a separate federal court ruling issued Thursday, which determined that any attempt to revoke international student status nationally must follow proper regulatory procedure. It’s unclear how or whether that ruling affects the Harvard-specific action.
Democratic lawmakers were swift in their condemnation. Rep. Jamie Raskin called the move “a blatant assault on academic freedom and an unconstitutional use of executive power to punish dissent.” Immigration advocates echoed that sentiment, saying innocent students are being used as pawns in a broader political fight.
“This is cruelty disguised as policy,” said Aaron Reichlin-Melnick of the American Immigration Council. “Students who’ve done nothing wrong now face the threat of deportation.”
When asked whether other schools could face similar action, Noem responded: “Absolutely. Let this be a warning to every other university to get your act together.”
With legal challenges looming and thousands of students in limbo, the clash between the federal government and one of America’s most prominent universities sets up a new front in the battle over immigration, academic independence, and civil liberties.
