New York (EFE).- The United States government gave Harvard University 72 hours to provide information on “violent” activities and protests involving its students if it wants to restore its foreign enrolment program.
In a letter, the US Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told the institution that it could reinstate its Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification if it met a series of requirements within 72 hours.
The DHS is asking the prestigious academic institution to provide video, image or audio evidence of “illegal” and “violent” protests and activities involving students on J1 and F visas that have taken place on or off campus in the past five years.
Early Thursday, the Donald Trump administration had revoked Harvard University’s ability to admit foreign students.
“I am writing to inform you that effective immediately, Harvard University’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification is revoked,” read the letter.
“The revocation of your Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification means that Harvard is prohibited from having any aliens on F- or J- noninmmigrant status for the 2025-2026 academic school year,” reads a statement from the United States Department of Homeland Security.
Jason Newton, Harvard’s director of media relations and communications, in an interview with The New York Times said the “retaliatory action threatens serious harm to the Harvard community and our country, and undermines Harvard’s academic and research mission.”
However, he added that they as an institution, were “fully committed to maintaining Harvard’s ability to host our international students and scholars, who hail from more than 140 countries and enrich the university – and this nation – immeasurably.”
The immediate scope of the relocation for students currently pursuing a degree is unclear. According to information provided by the university, 6,793 foreign students are enrolled for the current academic year (2025), accounting for 27.2% of the student body.
According to the same newspaper, tuition at Harvard is 59,320 dollars for the school year beginning late 2025, and costs can rise to nearly 87,000 dollars if accommodation and food are included.
The DHS claimed the elite university “has created an unsafe campus environment by permitting anti-American, pro-terrorist agitators to harass and physically assault individuals, including many Jewish students.”
“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. Harvard had plenty of opportunity to do the right thing. It refused,” posted Homeland Security Secretary on her X account.
Harvard has been the most vehement opponent of the Trump administration’s crackdown on campuses, faculty hiring, course offerings, and program design.
However, this opposition has come at a significant cost to Harvard. In May alone, the government first withdrew 2.2 billion dollars in federal grants and then another 450 million dollars a week later. EFE
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