The Trump administration is making moves to revoke Harvard’s ability to enroll international students, a decision that has been temporarily blocked by a federal judge. This ruling came shortly after Harvard filed a lawsuit asserting that the administration was infringing on its First Amendment rights.
On Thursday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) suspended Harvard’s access to the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), a critical government database that tracks international students in U.S. universities. While the students’ visas remained intact, this suspension raised concerns that it could subject nearly 6,800 international students enrolled at Harvard to immediate deportation.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem stated, “This administration is holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence, antisemitism, and its alleged collaboration with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus. Enrolling foreign students is a privilege, not a right, and Harvard had numerous opportunities to address these concerns but chose not to.”
A month prior, the DHS had demanded information from Harvard regarding its international students, including any incidents of alleged illegal or violent behavior, threats to fellow students, and any disciplinary actions taken against students involved in protests. The department warned that failure to provide this information by April 30th could result in Harvard losing its SEVIS certification.
Since assuming office, Trump has targeted universities for their perceived failure to address antisemitism, particularly in light of protests against the Gaza conflict. The administration has leveraged its authority to withhold federal funding and has also led to the arrest of several students involved in pro-Palestine activism. Some of these individuals, including green card holders Mahmoud Khalil and Mohsen Mahdawi, face accusations of acting against U.S. foreign policy interests, while others have had their visas revoked, making them subject to deportation.
The Trump administration’s strategy appears to focus on undermining Harvard’s capacity to enroll international students altogether, in contrast to institutions like Columbia that have complied with various demands from the administration. Harvard has largely resisted these demands, which included providing data on international students as well as “auditing” its academic programs and the political views of its community members.
In response to the situation, Harvard filed a lawsuit against the administration, claiming that the revocation of its SEVIS certification is a blatant infringement on its First Amendment rights. The suit contends that this move is a retaliatory act by the government against Harvard for rejecting its attempts to dictate the university’s governance and academic freedom. The complaint emphasizes that the government’s actions threaten to erase a significant portion of Harvard’s student body, particularly international students who add value to the university’s mission.
Furthermore, the lawsuit argues that the loss of SEVIS status places students in a precarious situation, leaving them with the difficult choice of either transferring to another institution or leaving the country altogether.
Recently, a federal judge intervened, temporarily halting DHS’s efforts to revoke Harvard’s SEVIS certification, ensuring the safety of the university’s international students for the time being.
