Harvard Battles Federal Ban on International Student Enrollment

The Trump administration has revoked Harvard University's ability to enroll international students, putting nearly 6,800 foreign students at risk of deportation unless they transfer to other institutions. A federal judge temporarily blocked the ban on May 23, as Harvard fights the action in court, calling it "unlawful" and a "retaliatory" measure that threatens both the university community and American interests.

Administration's Crackdown on Harvard

The Department of Homeland Security terminated Harvard's Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification, effectively banning the university from hosting international students. This dramatic move affects approximately 6,793 international students from over 140 countries, who make up 27.2% of Harvard's student body.

The administration cited several justifications for the ban, including:

• Alleged failure to address antisemitism on campus
• Claims of coordination with the Chinese Communist Party
• Refusal to provide student conduct records related to protests

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem stated, "It is a privilege, not a right, for universities to enroll foreign students and benefit from their higher tuition payments to help pad their multibillion-dollar endowments." Noem also warned other universities, saying, "This should be a warning to every other university to get your act together."

Harvard's Response

Harvard immediately sued the Trump administration over the ban. In its lawsuit, the university argues "Without its international students, Harvard is not Harvard." The university has refused to comply with administration demands to reform its international student program, make changes to campus policies, and eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion practices.

Harvard President Alan Garber firmly stated, "The University will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights. No government – regardless of which party is in power – should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue."

The university scored an initial victory when a federal judge temporarily blocked the administration's order on May 23, providing temporary relief to thousands of affected students.

Broader Conflict

The ban represents an escalation in an ongoing dispute between Harvard and the Trump administration. The federal government has already frozen $2.2 billion in funding to the university and threatened to revoke its tax-exempt status. The conflict emerged following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and subsequent campus protests over Israel's military response in Gaza.

In January 2025, the administration sent a letter to Harvard demanding it "prevent admitting students hostile to the American values and institutions" and report foreign students who commit conduct violations.

Impact & Analysis

The ban's most immediate impact falls on Harvard's international students. Swedish Harvard student Leo Gerdén expressed frustration: "We are being used essentially as poker chips in a battle between the White House and Harvard, and it feels honestly very dehumanizing." Students from politically sensitive countries like China, Russia, Venezuela, Afghanistan, and Palestine face particular hardship as many cannot safely return to their home countries if deported.

Beyond individual students, faculty members warn that losing international students would severely damage Harvard's academic capabilities. Jason Furman, Harvard economics professor and former Obama administration official, noted: "It is impossible to imagine Harvard without our amazing international students. They are a huge benefit to everyone here, to innovation and the United States more broadly. Higher education is one of America's great exports and a key source of our soft power."

The administration's actions have created uncertainty across American higher education, as other universities could face similar sanctions. This threatens a significant source of revenue for universities and potentially undermines America's global academic leadership position.

What's Next

As the legal battle continues, Harvard will pursue its lawsuit against the administration while affected students await a final ruling on their status. The outcome of this high-profile confrontation could set precedents for government oversight of universities and international education in America, with implications extending far beyond Harvard's campus.

Representative Articles

• Attacks on Harvard by Trump administration have built for months. A timeline of the dispute (CNN)
• Federal judge halts Trump administration ban on Harvard’s ability to enroll international students (CNN)
• A judge temporarily halted DHS’s ban on Harvard’s ability to enroll international students. Here’s what to know (CNN)
• China says Trump Harvard ban will ‘tarnish’ US image as students caught in crosshairs (CNN)
• International Harvard students are experiencing ‘pure panic’ as Trump moves to revoke their enrollment (CNN)
• Harvard students, faculty defend university against Trump's threat of pulling tax exemption status (Fox News)
• Trump is trying a desperate new strategy to retaliate against Harvard (MSNBC)
• Trump administration blocks Harvard from enrolling international students, escalating radical fight (MSNBC)
• Harvard, tax bill, DC shooting charge and Gaza (Reuters)
• 'Harvard refugee': Chinese students hunker down as U.S. blocks foreign enrollment (Reuters)
• Judge pauses Trump plan to revoke Harvard enrollment of foreign students (Reuters)
• Long advantageous, Harvard's China ties become a political liability (Reuters)
• Trump administration blocks Harvard from enrolling foreign students (Reuters)