On Thursday, the Trump administration revoked Harvard University's certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), effectively halting its ability to enroll international students and forcing any current international students to transfer or lose their legal status.

Newsweek reached out to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for comment by email on Thursday.

Why It Matters

President Donald Trump has targeted Harvard after the university openly defied demands to limit pro-Palestinian activism and end diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices.

The administration has already canceled $60 million in grants to Harvard, in addition to some $ $3 billion worth of frozen or canceled grants and contracts. Trump is also trying to strip the university of its tax-exempt status.

What To Know

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the decision, citing allegations that Harvard fostered violence, antisemitism and collaborated with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus.

Noem emphasized that admitting international students is a privilege, not a right, and stated that Harvard had ample opportunity to comply with federal demands but refused to do so.

"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," Noem said in the press release about the administration's decision.

The press release highlighted that DHS had "demanded Harvard provide information about the criminality and misconduct of foreign students on its campus" and that Harvard "brazenly refused" to provide the required information.

Noem had warned that DHS would terminate Harvard's SEVP certification, which followed the administration cutting some $2.7 million in DHS grants to the university last month.

However, U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White in California barred the government from reversing the legal status of already admitted students and either arresting or transferring them until a case brought against ICE is resolved.

While the ruling initially focused on 18 students impacted by ICE actions, White this week expanded it to a nationwide injunction protecting international students, which could provide protection to students impacted by DHS's decision. A spokesperson for the district courts in California told Newsweek "the judges of this court do not offer comment on any individual or pending case" when asked to clarify how the two cases may impact each other.

White said in his ruling to expand the injunction that the government's actions "wreaked havoc not only on the lives of Plaintiffs here but on similarly situated F-1 nonimmigrants across the United States and continues do so."

What People Are Saying

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem during a Fox News interview on Thursday said: "We have given them multiple opportunities to share criminal activity with us - backgrounds on these students to let us conduct the oversight into this program, which is our responsibility, and they have refused to do so. Today I sent them a letter that said they will not be able to participate in this student exchange visitor program, and that's up to 27 percent of their enrolled students, so it's significant. Any foreign student that wishes to get an education in this country that is attending Harvard and not participating in this criminal activity, they'll have to choose another university to go to, because Harvard has chosen instead not to protect their students and to allow this kind of violent and discriminatory action continue."

She ended the interview by saying, "Tell them [Harvard] to bring it. I am on the side of America, and they need to be too."

Harvard Spokesperson Jason Newton told USA Today: "The government's action is unlawful. We are fully committed to maintaining Harvard's ability to host international students and scholars."

President Trump said in March on Truth Social: "All Federal Funding will STOP for any College, School, or University that allows illegal protests," Trump posted on Truth Social early Tuesday morning. "Agitators will be imprisoned/or permanently sent back to the country from which they came. American students will be permanently expelled or, depending on on the crime, arrested. NO MASKS! Thank you for your attention to this matter."

What Happens Next

The university filed a lawsuit in April to block the cuts, alleging the Trump administration's actions were unconstitutional and a threat to academic freedom. This case will simply add another layer to the already broiling legal battle between the administration and the university.

This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.

Update 5/22/25, 2:45 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information, context, and comment.

Update 5/22/25, 2:54 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.

Update 5/22/25, 3:15 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.

Update 5/22/25, 4:56 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional comments.

Update 5/22/25, 5:09 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional comments.