In a stunning escalation of its confrontation with elite academia, the Trump administration on Thursday revoked Harvard University’s certification to enroll foreign students, accusing the school of fostering antisemitism, failing to ensure campus safety, and obstructing federal oversight efforts. The decision, carried out by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), cuts off one of the university’s vital pipelines: its ability to bring in foreign students through the federal Student and Exchange Visitor Program.
According to a letter delivered to Harvard, the revocation followed a series of ignored requests from DHS Secretary Kristi Noem for detailed records regarding visa-holding students allegedly involved in “illegal activity” or violence, particularly in connection to pro-Hamas protests or threats made on campus.
Harvard’s refusal to comply “while perpetuating an unsafe campus environment that is hostile to Jewish students, promotes pro-Hamas sympathies, and employs racist ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ policies,” led to the administration’s decision, the letter reads.
Secretary Noem was blunt in her statement: “It is a privilege, not a right, for universities to enroll foreign students… Harvard had plenty of opportunity to do the right thing. It refused.” She added that this move should be seen as a warning to other institutions failing to maintain lawful and secure academic environments.
The measure is part of a broader campaign. Secretary of State Marco Rubio revealed during Senate testimony that the Trump administration has already revoked thousands of student visas and intends to revoke more, particularly for those engaged in what officials deem to be extremist or violent activity on campuses.
“We probably have more to do,” Rubio noted, hinting at ongoing investigations and stricter standards.
This action follows a prior decision to strip Harvard of taxpayer-funded grants over what the administration described as a failure to control antisemitic behavior and threats against Jewish students—a problem that has intensified across multiple elite campuses in recent months.
The administration’s move came just hours after pro-Hamas groups celebrated the murder of two Israeli Embassy staffers, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, who were gunned down outside the Capital Jewish Museum. Suspect Elias Rodriguez, reportedly a Chicago native, allegedly shouted “Free, free Palestine” during the attack, which is being investigated as a politically motivated act of terror.
That celebration by foreign-linked propaganda arms—including Gaza Now and the Palestinian Mujahideen Movement—added fuel to a U.S. political climate already polarized by the Israel-Gaza conflict. These groups characterized the killings as “heroic” and encouraged further action against “the Zionist entity,” inflaming fears of radicalization within Western institutions.