Trump rejects Harvard! Why the U.S. government wants to stop admitting international students to universities

Trump Harvard International Student News : In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security said "Harvard is being held accountable for its ties to the Chinese Communist Party, advocating violence, anti-racism and terrorism by students on its campus."

Trump administration suspends Harvard from international student enrollment:

In a surprise move with far-reaching consequences, the Department of Homeland Security on Thursday revoked Harvard’s registration for international students, escalating a feud between the Trump administration and the national university.

The move, ordered by Homeland Security Secretary Christy L. Noem, prevents Harvard from immediately accepting new international students and requires current students to transfer or risk losing their legal citizenship. It comes weeks after an escalating feud between the administration and the university over allegations that Harvard is allowing international students to participate in “anti-American, pro-violence” Noem right on campus.

The decision is particularly chilling for the student body — about 27 percent of whom are from outside the United States.

DHS accused Harvard of endangering national security

Secretary Noem accused Harvard of failing to comply with a requirement regarding the records of foreign students involved in serious or illegal conflicts in the past five years.

“The university has allowed the U.S. military, which supports violence, to vilify and demoralize and destroy this once-revered institution,” he said. Noem reiterated that Harvard had welcomed and trained Chinese mercenaries, though no evidence has been publicly presented to support these claims.

He gave the university 72 hours to provide a list of disciplinary and electronic documents, including video and audio recordings, related to protests by international students.

Harvard Responds: “Illegal, Retaliatory”

In a statement released Thursday, Harvard spokesman Jason Newton called the Trump administration’s action “inappropriate” and vowed that the university would take all necessary steps to protect its citizens around the world.

“Harvard is committed to preserving our ability to welcome international students and faculty, who come from more than 140 countries and make the University — and this country — an incredible resource,” Newton said.

He warned that the policy “causes serious harm to the Harvard community and our nation and undermines Harvard’s academic and research mission.”

The number of international students totaled 6,793 for the 2024-25 academic year, a significant increase over the past two decades. Although the university has one of the largest undergraduate enrollments in the country and offers need-based aid to international students, the economic impact could still be significant, especially for some departments that rely heavily on international student enrollment.

Harvard has suffered federal funding cuts of more than $2.7 billion under the second Trump administration and is currently in a legal battle with the White House over what it says is political interference in administrative and admissions policies.

Donald Trump’s administration on Wednesday (April 16) escalated its ongoing confrontation with American universities by threatening to halt enrollment of foreign students at Harvard University. Earlier this week, the government froze more than $2.2 billion in federal funding for Harvard University and said its tax-exempt status could be terminated.

Upcoming legal challenges

Legal experts say the government’s move could quickly wind up in the courts. “This is wrong, false and unconstitutional,” U.S. Department of Education spokesman Ted Mitchell told the Washington Post. "There is a process going on to issue a certificate for the school. The authorities have not informed any of them."

Miriam Feldblum, the association’s director of higher education and immigration affairs, agreed, saying DHS does not follow its own policies. “Even though there was a credible case … they did not participate in the process of issuing warrants, which includes the judicial process — none of that,” he said, the Post reported.

Why now and what does the House say?

The policy change comes amid growing federal condemnation of school bombings sparked by the Gaza war. Last month, DHS stopped transferring student files to its visa case center following a lawsuit challenging the government’s handling of student visa applications.

The Trump administration introduced the ban as a way to protect American values. Abigail Jackson, the attorney general at the Supreme Court, said Thursday: “Harvard has transformed a campus that was once known as a rallying point for an anti-American, anti-Semitic, anti-terrorist movement… Now they must face the consequences of their actions.”