The U.S. government, through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), revoked Harvard University's Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification on May 22, 2025, effectively halting its ability to enroll international students on F-1 or M-1 visas. The stated reasons for this action include allegations that Harvard failed to comply with federal immigration reporting requirements, fostered an unsafe campus environment marked by antisemitism, and permitted "anti-American, pro-Hamas ideology" and coordination with entities like the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Specifically, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem accused Harvard of not providing sufficient disciplinary records of international students involved in "illegal and violent activities," particularly related to pro-Palestinian protests, as demanded in an April 16, 2025, letter. Harvard's partial submission of records by April 30 was deemed "insufficient" by DHS, leading to the revocation.
The move is part of a broader Trump administration campaign targeting Harvard, which also includes freezing over $2.2 billion in federal funding and threatening to revoke its tax-exempt status. Critics, including Harvard, argue that the revocation is retaliatory, illegal, and undermines academic freedom, as it stems from the university's refusal to comply with demands to overhaul its hiring, admissions, and curriculum policies. Harvard maintains it has taken steps to address antisemitism while preserving free speech and academic independence. The revocation affects nearly 6,800 international students (27% of Harvard’s enrollment), who must now transfer, change immigration status, or leave the U.S. A federal judge in California issued an injunction on May 22, 2025, temporarily barring the termination of students’ legal status pending a lawsuit challenging the action.
