According to a May 22 press release, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has directed the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to terminate Harvard University’s certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP).
The termination means that Harvard is no longer authorized to enroll new international students under SEVP, and current international students will be required to transfer to another certified institution or risk losing their legal immigration status.
The DHS announcement states that the decision was based on concerns about campus safety and compliance with federal requirements. The press release alleges that university leadership failed to address incidents of harassment and disruption on campus and did not provide requested information related to the conduct of foreign students.
“This administration is holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus,” said Secretary Noem. “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. Harvard had plenty of opportunity to do the right thing. It refused. They have lost their Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification as a result of their failure to adhere to the law. Let this serve as a warning to all universities and academic institutions across the country.”
On April 16, 2025, DHS issued a request to Harvard seeking information related to alleged misconduct by foreign students. According to the department, the university did not respond to this request or a subsequent follow-up from the DHS Office of General Counsel.
This action follows DHS’s decision last month to terminate approximately $2.7 million in grant funding previously awarded to Harvard.
The original announcement can be found here.