Foreign Students Barred from Enrolling at Harvard University As DHS Ramps Crackdown

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More than 6,000 foreign students at Harvard University now face deportation or urgent transfer after the Trump administration revoked the school’s visa program certification. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the decision Thursday, accusing the university of “fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordination with the Chinese Communist Party.”

Harvard called the move unlawful. In a public statement, the university said it would “fully support our foreign students during this politically motivated retaliation.” The school has filed suit and is seeking an injunction to block enforcement before the fall semester.

The order terminates Harvard’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification for the 2025–2026 academic year. As of last year, international students made up over 27 percent of Harvard’s total enrollment, totaling nearly 6,800 individuals from more than 100 countries.

A Far-reaching Impact on Campus and Beyond

Student athletes, researchers, and graduate fellows are among those affected by the blockade. Nearly half of Harvard’s men’s squash team and women’s golf roster hold international student visas. Several championship-level athletes in crew and hockey now face transfer or removal from the country.

Research projects in medicine, climate science, and artificial intelligence may also be disrupted, as many depend on doctoral and postdoctoral researchers from abroad. The Department of Health and Human Services separately froze more than $450 million in research funding to the university earlier this week.

Governor Maura Healey of Massachusetts warned that the state’s broader economy could suffer, noting that more than 85,000 foreign students contribute to the region through tuition, spending, and innovation. “President Trump is punishing our students and hurting our economy,” she said. “The only winners here are rival nations eager to recruit that talent elsewhere.”

Trump’s Broader War on Elite Institutions

The visa ban follows months of escalating attacks by President Trump on Harvard and other elite universities. The administration accuses these institutions of harboring “radical ideologies” and failing to combat antisemitism.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, Harvard was given 72 hours to hand over surveillance materials on past protest activity involving foreign students. The school refused. Noem then announced that failure to comply showed “alignment with anti-American elements.”

This crackdown mirrors Trump’s prior efforts to condition federal funding on campus political activity and is part of his administration’s wider immigration agenda. Vice President JD Vance has defended the move as necessary to “restore the integrity of American education.”

Democratic lawmakers blasted the decision. Rep. Jamie Raskin called it an “intolerable attack on academic freedom.” Others warned it would set a dangerous precedent for political interference in higher education.

Court Battles and Chilling Signals Ahead

A federal judge on Thursday ruled that the administration could not strip visa status from students en masse without following proper procedures. While the ruling does not automatically reverse the Harvard action, it opens the door for broader legal challenges.

Immigration advocates say the order needlessly harms thousands of students who have followed the law and contributed to U.S. research and education. “None of these students have done anything wrong,” said Aaron Reichlin-Melnick of the American Immigration Council. “They’re just collateral damage in a political war.”

Meanwhile, Secretary Noem confirmed that other universities such as Columbia and Stanford are being reviewed. “This should be a warning,” she told Fox News. “Get your act together or face similar consequences.”

The Trump administration maintains that visa sponsorship is a privilege, not a right, and should be revoked when institutions fail to uphold national interests. Critics counter that punishing students en masse for their university’s policy disagreements is a direct attack on education and a misuse of executive power.

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