The Trump administration has prohibited the registration of international students at Harvard, according to a report from NYT on Thursday.
This decision comes as part of an ongoing investigation into the university by the Department of Homeland Security. A letter detailing this was sent to Harvard by Secretary of Homeland Security Christi Noem.
Noem also expressed on X that “the administration is responsible for Harvard’s violence, anti-Semitism, and coordination with the Chinese Communist Party on campus,” emphasizing that the ability to register foreign students is “a right, not a privilege.” She further noted that higher tuition from these students contributes significantly to donations for the institution.
In a letter to Harvard, it was stated that the university must provide “necessary information” within “72 hours” if it hopes to regain its certification for the student and exchange visitor program ahead of upcoming academic terms.
The action by the Trump administration could compel current students to either transfer to different schools or risk losing their legal status, as indicated by the Department of Homeland Security.
In response, Harvard University criticized the decision as retaliatory and harmful, asserting that such government actions are illegal. “We are fully committed to maintaining Harvard’s ability to host international students and academics from over 140 countries,” the university remarked in a statement.
Earlier in April, President Donald Trump described Harvard as a “joke” and suggested he would terminate its government research contract after the university rejected a proposal for political oversight. He asserted that Harvard should not be recognized as a top educational institution any longer.
Trump had warned that he would ban prestigious universities from accepting international students unless they complied with certain requirements.
According to the university’s official website, between 500 and 800 Indian students and academics attend Harvard each year, with 788 currently enrolled.
