As U.S. bars Harvard University, Thursday, from enrolling new international students by revoking its certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), reasons are already emerging amid the shocking development.
The action, announced by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on her X account, takes effect immediately and prevents Harvard from issuing the I-20 forms that foreign students need to secure F-1 and J-1 visas.
Pan-Atlantic Kompass had earlier reported that President Donald Trump’s administration froze over $2.2 billion in federal grants and $60 million in contracts to Harvard University, America’s oldest institution of higher learning, founded in 1636.
Recall the Ivy League institution has had running issues with the current U.S. administration over campus activism, antisemitism, and diversity initiatives, often termed as ‘woke’ culture.
Harvard lost SEVP approval after the prolonged dispute over a federal records request.
Homeland Security investigators sought extensive admissions and immigration documents, and university officials pushed back, questioning the request’s legality.
Without SEVP status, newly admitted international students cannot obtain the required paperwork to study at Harvard, including those from Africa. Current visa holders may also face uncertainty when registering for classes or renewing their status. Many depend on campus housing, work permissions and research fellowships tied to their visa classification.
As U.S. bars Harvard, immigration Lawyer Rachel Liu called the decision “extraordinary,” warning it “sets a dangerous precedent” by using visa rules to resolve a records dispute. “This move risks harming thousands of students and may lead to lengthy litigation,” Liu said.
About 20% of Harvard’s enrollment, more than 7,000 degree-seeking students from over 130 countries, relies on SEVP certification. Harvard officials say they will seek an immediate review of the revocation and are prepared to challenge the decision in federal court.
Why Harvard is being targeted — U.S. Department of Homeland Security
In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security “Harvard is being held accountable for collaboration with the [Chinese Communist party], fostering violence, antisemitism, and pro-terrorist conduct from students on its campus”.
It goes on to say that as U.S. bars Harvard, the Ivy League institution can no longer enroll foreign students and existing foreign students must transfer or lose their legal status.
The statement further reads:
“Harvard University brazenly refused to provide the required information requested and ignored a follow-up request from the Department’s Office of General Council. Secretary Noem is following through on her promise to protect students and prohibit terrorist sympathizers from receiving benefits from the US government.
Harvard’s leadership has created an unsafe campus environment by permitting anti-American, pro-terrorist agitators to harass and physically assault individuals, including many Jewish students, and otherwise obstruct its once-venerable learning environment. Many of these agitators are foreign students. Harvard’s leadership further facilitated, and engaged in coordinated activity with the [Chinese Communist party], including hosting and training members of a CCP paramilitary group complicit in the Uyghur genocide.
On April 16, 2025, secretary Noem demanded Harvard provide information about the criminality and misconduct of foreign students on its campus. Secretary Noem warned refusal to comply with this lawful order would result in SEVP termination.
This action comes after DHS terminated $2.7m in DHS grants for Harvard last month.”
