US threatens Harvard over foreign student records

Washington

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has warned Harvard University it could lose its right to enroll international students unless it submits records of "illegal and violent activities" involving foreign students. The deadline set is April 30, 2025.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem issued a letter demanding information on any threats or campus disruptions linked to visa-holding students. If Harvard does not comply, it risks losing certification to host international students, a move that could affect over 6,700 current enrollees.

The government has already canceled $2.7 million in federal grants to Harvard. Additionally, the Trump administration announced a freeze on $2.2 billion in multi-year grants and $60 million in contracts, citing a failure to combat antisemitism and enforce civil rights protections.

Harvard responded by reaffirming its commitment to legal compliance and constitutional rights, rejecting what it sees as federal overreach. “The university will not surrender its independence,” President Alan M. Garber wrote.

Garber argued that many of the government's demands go beyond addressing antisemitism and instead seek to regulate academic freedoms. Harvard stated it expects all federal actions to be based on evidence and due process.

The DHS letter follows complaints that Jewish students face harassment on campus. It emphasized that international student enrollment is “a privilege, not a guarantee.”

The issue has become part of a broader political conflict between elite universities and the Trump administration, which is pressing for stronger action on antisemitism and campus discipline, while universities defend their autonomy and academic freedom.