Trump Bans Harvard from Admitting International Students

The Trump administration has informed Harvard University that it will not be allowed to enroll international students, a major blow to the university after the government froze billions of dollars in federal funding and escalated its battle with elite universities to unprecedented levels.

The United States has revoked Harvard's accreditation for its Student and Exchange Visitor Program, meaning the university can no longer enroll international students. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in a statement Thursday that current international students must transfer from Harvard or lose their legal status.

The DHS said in a statement released Thursday that Harvard's administration "contributed to an unsafe campus environment by allowing anti-American agitators and supporters of terrorism to harass and physically assault individuals, including a significant number of Jewish students, and disrupt the once-respected academic environment." The administration also accused Harvard's leadership of coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party.

In April, Homeland Security Secretary Kirsty Noem demanded that Harvard University provide records of any illegal or violent activity by international students by April 30, or the university would immediately lose its accreditation under the federal student visa program. According to university data, Harvard has approximately 6,800 international students, representing 27% of the student body, compared to 19.6% in 2006.

"This administration is holding Harvard accountable for promoting violence, anti-Semitism, and coordination with the Chinese Communist Party on its campuses," Noem said Thursday. "It is a privilege, not a right, for universities to enroll international students and benefit from higher tuition payments to help augment their multi-billion dollar endowments."