Citing a persistent failure to address a “toxic campus climate,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem today announced the immediate termination of Harvard University’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification.
This unprecedented action means Harvard can no longer enroll international students, and currently enrolled foreign students must either transfer to another institution or face the loss of their legal status in the United States.
Secretary Noem’s directive comes after months of escalating tensions and repeated warnings from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regarding what she described as Harvard’s “fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus.”
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“It is a privilege, not a right, for universities to enroll foreign students and benefit from their higher tuition payments to help pad their multibillion-dollar endowments,” Secretary Noem stated. “Harvard had plenty of opportunity to do the right thing. It refused. They have lost their Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification as a result of their failure to adhere to the law. Let this serve as a warning to all universities and academic institutions across the country.”
The decision follows Harvard’s alleged refusal to comply with a lawful order issued by Secretary Noem on April 16, 2025, which demanded information concerning criminality and misconduct involving foreign students on its campus. A follow-up request from the Department’s Office of General Counsel was also reportedly ignored. This termination follows last month’s DHS decision to cut $2.7 million in grants to Harvard.
DHS highlighted a range of concerns contributing to its decision, including:
Pervasive Discrimination and Antisemitism: A joint-government task force reportedly found that Harvard has failed to confront widespread race discrimination and anti-Semitic harassment.
Harvard’s own 2025 internal study on anti-Semitism revealed that nearly 60% of Jewish students reported experiencing “discrimination, stereotyping, or negative bias on campus due to [their] views on current events.” Instances cited include Jewish students being subjected to insults, physical assault, and intimidation without meaningful response from university leadership. In one particularly controversial incident, a protester charged in the assault of a Jewish student was selected as the Class Marshal for the Harvard Divinity School commencement.
Additionally, a Jewish student speaker at a conference was reportedly told his story about his Holocaust survivor grandfather finding refuge in Israel was not “tasteful” and was met with laughter. Pro-Hamas student groups that allegedly promoted antisemitism after the October 7 attacks reportedly remained recognized and funded by the university.
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Skyrocketing Crime Rates: DHS noted a significant increase in crime on campus, with overall crime rates at Harvard rising by 55% from 2022 to 2023. Aggravated assaults reportedly increased by 295% and robberies by 560% during the same period.
Ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP): The DHS statement accused Harvard of facilitating and engaging in coordinated activity with the CCP. This includes allegations that Harvard hosted and trained members of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC), a CCP paramilitary group designated by the U.S. Treasury on its Specially Designated Nationals List in 2020 for its complicity in the Uyghur genocide, with engagements allegedly continuing as recently as 2024.
Furthermore, Harvard researchers are accused of collaborating with China-based academics on projects funded by an Iranian government agent and partnering with Chinese universities tied to military advancements, including aerospace and optics research, using U.S. Department of Defense funds. Harvard is also alleged to have partnered with individuals linked to China’s defense-industrial base, including conducting robotics research with military applications.
Questionable Financial Practices: DHS noted that Harvard received $151 million from foreign governments since January 2020, accounting for more than 13% of the total $1.1 billion received from foreign donors over the same period. The department also raised concerns about Harvard adopting “race-conscious hiring policies, potentially in violation of civil rights law.”
The termination of Harvard’s SEVP certification marks a significant escalation in the federal government’s scrutiny of universities and their handling of campus conduct and international affiliations. The department emphasized that this action serves as a warning to all academic institutions nationwide.
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