The Department of Homeland Security on Thursday announced it is ending Harvard University’s student visa program over its “collaboration with the [Chinese Communist Party], fostering violence, antisemitism, and pro-terrorist conduct from students on campus.”
The school will no longer be able to enroll foreign students and foreign nationals currently enrolled need to transfer or they will lose their legal status, DHS said.
“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,” said DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. “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."
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 CCP, including hosting and training members of a CCP paramilitary group complicit in the Uyghur genocide. (DHS)
Last month, Noem demanded more information from Harvard about the conduct of its foreign students on campus, warning that failure to respond would result in the termination of its Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification.
BREAKING: If Harvard does not fully comply with all reporting requirements to DHS, including providing detailed records of foreign students’ misconduct on campus, Harvard will no longer be able to enroll foreign students. pic.twitter.com/azcn1Q9NhH
— Ben B@dejo (@BenTelAviv) April 17, 2025
"Let this serve as a warning to all universities and academic institutions across the country," Noem added.
This administration is holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus.
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) May 22, 2025
It is a privilege, not a right, for universities to enroll foreign students and benefit from their higher tuition payments… pic.twitter.com/12hJWd1J86
Harvard hit back, calling the move unlawful.
"We are fully committed to maintaining Harvard's ability to host international students and scholars, who hail from more than 140 countries and enrich the University – and this nation – immeasurably," Harvard spokesman Jason Newton told Axios. "This retaliatory action threatens serious harm to the Harvard community and our country, and undermines Harvard's academic and research mission."