Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced terminated certification for Harvard University’s exchange program for foreign nationals on Thursday, a move that will see thousands of students kicked out of the university.
In a letter addressed to Maureen Martin, the university’s director of immigration services, Noem accused the university’s leaders of “perpetuating an unsafe campus environment.”
“This administration is holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus,” Noem said in a statement. “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,” she added. “Let this serve as a warning to all universities and academic institutions across the country.”
The student program had allowed the university to admit up to 6,793 international students to attend Harvard in the 2024-25 school year.
“As I explained to you in my April letter, it is a privilege to enroll foreign students, and it is also a privilege to employ aliens on campus. All universities must comply with Department of Homeland Security requirements, including reporting requirements under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program regulations, to maintain this privilege,” Noem wrote in the letter addressed to Martin.
“As a result of your refusal to comply with multiple requests to provide the Department of Homeland Security pertinent information while perpetuating an unsafe campus environment that is hostile to Jewish students, promotes pro-Hamas sympathies, and employs racist “diversity, equity, and inclusion” policies, you have lost this privilege.”
Following the termination, Harvard will be prohibited from admitting any aliens on F- or J- nonimmigrant status for the 2025-2026 academic school year. Existing international students will also be forced to transfer to another university.
In order for Harvard to regain access to the program, the university will need to come into compliance with all the rules and regulations outlined by the DHS. “Please be advised that providing materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent information may subject you to criminal prosecution under 18 U.S.C. § 1001. Other criminal and civil sanctions may also apply,” Noem continued.
The secretary is further demanding all records relating to foreign students’ participation in protests, demonstrations or other events on campus that led to violence or threats against Jewish students, in addition to a list of all Harvard faculty, staff or students who have received funding from foreign entities.
The move comes just days after the Trump Administration revoked $2.7 million in research grants to the Ivy League institution.
