Harvard University Barred from Enrolling Foreign Students Amid National Security Concerns

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has revoked Harvard University’s certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), effectively stripping the institution of its ability to enroll international students. The decision follows accusations of collaboration with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), as well as failure to address campus activities perceived as promoting terrorism and antisemitism.

The termination, ordered by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, comes after a series of warnings and requests for information regarding misconduct and alleged criminal behavior by foreign students. Harvard’s refusal to comply with an April 16 directive from DHS prompted the action, which now requires current foreign students to transfer to other institutions or risk losing their legal immigration status. The move follows the prior withdrawal of $2.7 million in DHS grants awarded to the university.

A joint-government task force found Harvard culpable for fostering a hostile campus environment where Jewish students were reportedly subjected to verbal abuse, physical assault, and institutional neglect. Despite these allegations, the university maintained recognition and funding for student groups accused of promoting antisemitic sentiments, including after the October 7 attacks in Israel. Notably, a student allegedly involved in an assault was later honored with a commencement leadership role.

Harvard’s internal review in 2025 revealed that nearly 60% of its Jewish student population experienced discrimination linked to their political views. Additional incidents cited by DHS included suppression of Holocaust narratives and rising crime rates on campus, with significant increases in aggravated assaults and robberies between 2022 and 2023. These domestic issues were compounded by financial and academic relationships with foreign entities, including the XPCC—a Chinese paramilitary group sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury for involvement in human rights abuses against Uyghurs.

The university also reportedly conducted research projects funded by individuals connected to foreign military programs and collaborated with academic institutions linked to China’s defense sector. These actions, according to DHS, constitute serious national security risks and undermine public trust in higher education institutions benefiting from federal support and foreign tuition revenue.

Article by multiple RFHC contributors, based upon information from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Public Affairs

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