Harvard loses visa certification after refusing DHS requests tied to campus protests and antisemitism concerns.

Harvard Barred from Hosting International Students in 2025

The Department of Homeland Security has terminated Harvard University’s participation in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, citing the school’s alleged failure to provide requested records related to campus protests and international students. Effective for the 2025–2026 academic year, Harvard may not enroll new foreign students, and current international students must transfer or leave the country before the fall term.

“This administration is holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus,” said DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. She added that Harvard’s refusal to comply with multiple lawful data requests led to the revocation, describing the loss of visa certification as a “direct result of Harvard’s epic failure to comply with simple reporting requirements.”

Noem issued a formal letter to Maureen Martin, Harvard’s director of immigration services, giving the university 72 hours to submit all outstanding documentation in order to regain certification. The DHS requested protest-related footage, disciplinary records for visa-holding students from the past five years, and any records of illegal or threatening behavior by such students.

Noem said her office made repeated efforts to obtain the required materials, but Harvard responded with insufficient and incomplete data. She emphasized that “consequences must follow” to signal that the Trump administration will enforce visa regulations and combat antisemitism on campus.

Federal Crackdown Targets DEI, Protest Activity Nationwide

The visa revocation follows months of federal scrutiny into Harvard’s policies after waves of pro-Gaza student demonstrations swept campuses nationwide in response to Israel’s offensive in Gaza. Federal officials accuse Harvard of enabling unsafe environments for Jewish students and maintaining Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies deemed discriminatory by the Trump administration.

Harvard recently informed prospective international students that they may accept admission to both Harvard and a foreign university due to the uncertainty. Typically, admitted students must commit solely to Harvard by May 1.

To date, over a dozen Harvard students have had their U.S. study authorization revoked for participation in campus protests. The university is also facing ongoing investigations from the Departments of Justice, Education, and Health and Human Services, and has already seen nearly $3 billion in federal research funding frozen.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Congress this week that the State Department had revoked “thousands” of student visas since protests began. “We’re going to continue to revoke the visas of people who are here as guests and are disrupting our higher education facilities,” Rubio said. “A visa is a privilege, not a right.”

As of now, Harvard has not publicly commented on the DHS decision. It remains unclear whether the university will submit the required records within the 72-hour window or challenge the termination through legal channels.