In a dramatic escalation of its campaign against elite academic institutions, the Trump administration has stripped Harvard University of its ability to enrol international students, ordering the expulsion or transfer of thousands already studying at the Ivy League campus.
The move, announced by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, cited accusations that Harvard had “fostered violence and antisemitism” and “co-ordinated with the Chinese Communist Party”. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has revoked the university’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification, effectively ending its right to host foreign students.
Harvard University swiftly condemned the decision as “unlawful” and retaliatory, warning of significant damage to its academic mission and to the broader U.S. education system. The university said in a statement:
“This retaliatory action threatens serious harm to the Harvard community and our country.”
The crackdown affects nearly 6,800 international students — 27 per cent of Harvard’s enrolment in 2024–25 — and has prompted an outcry from education leaders and international partners.
Among them, Australian ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd, expressed concern for the estimated 120 Australian students at Harvard. “I know this will be distressing for Harvard’s many Australian students,” Rudd posted on X (formerly Twitter).
“The embassy is working with the United States government to obtain the details of this decision. We also intend to engage the administration more broadly on the impact of this decision for Australian students and their families.”
The decision comes after Harvard reportedly refused to comply with previous DHS demands for information on visa-holding students, including footage of protest activities dating back five years. In a letter, Noem gave the university 72 hours to submit detailed records if it wishes to regain certification.
Trump, who returned to the presidency in January, has vowed to rid American campuses of foreign students he deems hostile to U.S. values and to dismantle diversity and inclusion (DEI) programs. Harvard, unlike some other institutions, had resisted this political pressure — making it a prime target for the administration.
During a Fox News interview, Noem signalled the administration is eyeing similar action at other institutions, including Columbia University. “Absolutely, we are,” she said.
“This should be a warning to every other university to get your act together.”
The revocation has also triggered political backlash in Washington, with Representative Jamie Raskin calling it “an intolerable attack on Harvard’s independence and academic freedom”. The university is already suing the federal government over a $US3 billion ($4.7 billion) freeze on grants. Trump has also threatened to strip Harvard of its tax-exempt status.
Meanwhile, the Department of Health and Human Services has pulled an additional $US60 million ($94 million) in funding from Harvard, citing failure to curb antisemitic harassment — a claim the university disputes.
International students at Harvard significantly boost the university’s revenue and the local economy, contributing an estimated $US384 million ($600 million) and supporting nearly 4,000 jobs in 2023–24. In 2022, the largest groups came from China, Canada, India, South Korea, Britain, Germany, Australia, Singapore and Japan.
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