Harvard University has been given 72 hours to meet the US government’s requirements.
The Trump administration has withdrawn Harvard University’s permission to admit international students. This action intensifies the ongoing dispute with the Ivy League school, stemming from its alleged failure to combat antisemitism on campus and eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced on Thursday that the university had 72 hours to satisfy a set of federal demands to regain its Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification. These demands include providing all disciplinary records for non-immigrant students from the last five years, along with any digital files, videos, or recordings documenting their “illegal, dangerous or violent” activity on campus.
“Harvard is now barred from enrolling international students, and current foreign students must either transfer or lose their legal status,” Noem stated in a letter dated May 22 to Harvard President Alan Garber. “Let this be a warning to all universities and academic institutions nationwide.”
“This administration is holding Harvard responsible for encouraging violence, antisemitism, and collaborating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus,” she added.
This conflict marks a significant escalation in the Trump administration’s pressure campaign against elite universities, amid growing political opposition to their handling of pro-Palestinian student protests. Since returning to office, Trump has urged colleges to eradicate antisemitism and dismantle DEI programs, which he argues promote “division and radicalism.”
After Harvard declined to meet the federal demands and vowed to address internal issues independently, the administration froze $2.2 billion in federal funding to the university, as part of a broader review of nearly $9 billion in public grants awarded to Harvard and its affiliated research institutions.