The Trump administration has barred Harvard University from enrolling new international students and ordered existing foreign students to transfer or leave the U.S., escalating a high-profile clash between the federal government and the Ivy League institution.
The Department of Homeland Security announced the decision Thursday, accusing Harvard of creating an unsafe campus environment by enabling “anti-American, pro-terrorist agitators” to harass Jewish students. The agency also alleged that Harvard had ties to the Chinese Communist Party, claiming it had recently hosted and trained members of a Chinese paramilitary group as late as 2024.
The move affects nearly 6,800 international students at Harvard’s Cambridge, Massachusetts campus—more than a quarter of the university’s student body. Most of these students are enrolled in graduate programs and represent over 100 countries.
Harvard denounced the decision as unlawful and retaliatory, vowing to support its students and challenge the move.
The conflict appears to have been sparked by an April 16 letter from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, demanding that Harvard provide information on foreign students who may have been involved in campus protests or violence. On Thursday, Noem reiterated that Harvard’s failure to comply with “simple reporting requirements” led to the sanctions.
She said the university could regain its ability to host international students if it submits extensive records within 72 hours, including audio and video of foreign students participating in demonstrations or “dangerous activity.”
