The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has revoked Harvard University’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification, APA reports.
According to an order signed by Secretary Kristi Noem, Harvard can no longer admit foreign students. Existing international students must either transfer to another institution or lose their legal status.
The DHS explained the decision by stating that “Harvard's leadership created a dangerous campus environment by allowing anti-American, pro-terrorist agitators to harass and physically assault individuals, including many Jewish students.”
Accusations of Collaboration with the Chinese Communist Party
"Many of these agitators are foreign students. Harvard’s leadership hosted and trained members of a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) paramilitary group complicit in the Uyghur genocide, engaging in coordinated activities with the CCP,” the statement said.
“This administration is holding Harvard accountable for promoting violence, antisemitism, and working in coordination 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 high tuition fees to boost multibillion-dollar endowments. Harvard had the opportunity to do the right thing. It refused. They lost their SEVP certification for breaking the law.”
"We Had Warned Them"
The statement recalled that on April 16 of this year, Secretary Noem requested Harvard to provide information on “crimes and illegal behavior committed by foreign students on campus.” At the time, the Secretary warned that failure to comply would lead to the revocation of the university’s SEVP certification.
However, Harvard University refused to provide the requested information.
Serious Allegations Against Harvard
According to the Department of Homeland Security, “Harvard’s campus environment has become toxic.”
A joint federal task force determined that Harvard failed to address “widespread racial discrimination and antisemitic harassment” on campus.
“For instance, Jewish students were subjected to widespread insults, physical attacks, and threats. A protester accused of assaulting a Jewish student was selected as the Graduation Marshal by Harvard Divinity School. An internal 2025 report revealed that 60% of Jewish students experienced discrimination, stereotyping, or negative bias due to their views on current events.”
The DHS stated: “At one conference, a Jewish student planned to share the story of his Holocaust-survivor grandfather finding refuge in Israel. Organizers told him the story was ‘not meaningful.’ When he expressed surprise, they laughed and said the story might be used to justify oppression. Meanwhile, following the October 7 attacks, Hamas-supporting student groups promoting antisemitism were officially recognized and funded.”
Accusations of Receiving Foreign Donations
“Instead of protecting its students, Harvard allowed crime rates to rise, tolerated racist practices, and accepted large sums of money from foreign governments and donors.
From 2022 to 2023, crime rates at Harvard increased by 55%. Major crimes rose by 295%, and robberies surged by 560%.
Harvard adopted race-conscious hiring practices that may violate civil rights laws.
Since January 2020, Harvard has received $151 million from foreign governments. This accounts for over 13% of the $1.1 billion total received from foreign donors during the same period,” the department noted.
Joint Projects with China and Iran?
The DHS accused Harvard of “hosting and training members of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC), a CCP paramilitary group involved in the Uyghur genocide, even after it was listed on the U.S. Treasury’s Specially Designated Nationals list in 2020.”
“Harvard researchers collaborated on projects in China funded by agents of the Iranian government, and used U.S. Department of Defense funds for research in aerospace and optics in partnership with Chinese universities.
Harvard also partnered with individuals connected to China’s defense industry, including conducting robotics research for military applications.”
Harvard Responds
Harvard University stated that the government’s decision is unlawful.
“The University remains committed to welcoming international students and scholars from over 140 countries. This punitive action could severely harm both the Harvard community and the country. Moreover, this decision risks undermining the university’s core academic and research mission,” the university's statement concluded.
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