The Trump administration told Harvard University in a letter last week that it was revoking the Ivy League school’s ability to enroll international students, citing what the Homeland Security secretary called “an unsafe campus environment” that is hostile to Jewish students, supports Hamas, and promotes “racist” DEI initiatives.
Harvard has denied fostering such an environment and recently issued reports on antisemitism and Islamophobia that included recommendations such as expanding academic offerings on antisemitism and Jewish history; providing legal support to students facing harassment for being pro-Palestinian; and defining and denouncing bias against Arabs, Muslims, and Palestinians.
Last week, the university denounced the Trump administration’s announcement, saying “this retaliatory action threatens serious harm to the Harvard community and our country.”
Here’s an explainer on what the Trump administration did last week, and what it means for Harvard going forward.
What program is being targeted?
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wrote in the letter that the administration had revoked Harvard‘s ability to enroll noncitizens in its Student and Exchange Visitor Program.
That program is overseen on campuses across the country by the federal government, per the ICE website, which says it “collects, maintains, analyzes and provides information so only legitimate foreign students or exchange visitors gain entry to the United States.”
The program also ensures that schools “accepting nonimmigrant students are certified and follow the federal rules and regulations that govern them,” the site says.
What rules do federal officials accuse Harvard of breaking?
Noem cited what she said was the antisemitic and pro-Hamas sentiments at Harvard, an apparent reference to demonstrations on campus last year protesting Israel’s war in Gaza.
Specifically, Harvard is being sanctioned for its failure “to comply with simple reporting requirements,” including turning over records related to international students’ “misconduct and other offenses” that would render them “inadmissible or removable,” Noem said.
When does the restriction take effect, and what happens to the international students now enrolled at Harvard?
Noem said the prohibition on international students will take effect in the 2025-26 academic year, which starts next fall.
Current international students on campus will have to “transfer to another university in order to maintain their nonimmigrant status” to remain in the country, Noem said.
Does Harvard have options?
Yes, according to Noem.
She wrote that Harvard can have its ability to enroll international students restored if it turns over a number of records to the government.
Those records include any and all footage in the school’s possession of “protest activity” involving international students in the last five years; any international student disciplinary records over that time frame; any and all footage of international students engaged in “deprivation of rights” of classmates or staff on or off campus; and any records of threats, violence, or illegal activity by international students.
How many students at Harvard could this affect?
The latest count of degree-seeking international students at Harvard was 6,793 for the current academic year, according to university data. International students make up more than 27 percent of the university’s total enrollment.
The share has climbed steadily since the 2006-07 academic year, aside from a dip during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Has Harvard responded to the news?
Shortly after the letter came to light in a New York Times report and Noem posted a copy of the letter on social media, Jason Newton, a university spokesman, said the government‘s move “is 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," Newton said in a statement. “We are working quickly to provide guidance and support to members of our community. This retaliatory action threatens serious harm to the Harvard community and our country, and undermines Harvard‘s academic and research mission.”
Harvard says the move is unlawful. Is it?
Nico Perrino, executive vice president of FIRE, a group that defends free speech rights on college campuses, said he expects Harvard to sue the administration over the order.
“The first page of the letter ends by stating that the Trump administration ‘will enforce the law and root out the evils of anti-Americanism,’ But there’s nothing American about the government‘s demands,” Perrino said via X. “The Trump administration is adopting the tactics of Peruvian strongman Óscar Benavides, who once said, ‘For my friends, everything; for my enemies, the law.’ Harvard insisted the administration not violate its First Amendment rights. It filed a lawsuit last month to vindicate those rights. In return, it‘s received more of ‘the law.’ — and more unconstitutional demands. Nothing is more un-American than that."
Perrino said he has to “believe Harvard will sue over this. And unlike its funding freeze lawsuit, I’m sure it will pursue a temporary restraining order, given the 72 hour timeline.”
Yoohyun Jung of the Globe staff contributed to this report.
Travis Andersen can be reached at travis.andersen@globe.com. Nick Stoico can be reached at nick.stoico@globe.com. Dana Gerber can be reached at dana.gerber@globe.com. Follow her @danagerber6.