In a dramatic escalation of its campaign against Harvard University, the Trump administration has threatened to revoke the institution’s ability to enroll foreign students unless it complies with federal demands related to visa holders.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced on Wednesday that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is requiring Harvard to submit detailed records by April 30 concerning what she described as the “illegal and violent activities” of some of the university’s foreign student visa holders.

“If Harvard cannot verify it is in full compliance with its reporting requirements, the university will lose the privilege of enrolling foreign students,” Noem said.

In addition to the visa warning, DHS has terminated two federal grants totaling more than $2.7 million previously awarded to Harvard, further tightening financial pressure on the elite institution.

Demonstrators rally on Cambridge Common in a protest organized by the City of Cambridge calling on Harvard leadership to resist interference at the university by the federal government in Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S. April 12, 2025. REUTERS/Nicholas Pfosi

A Clash Over Student Protests and Campus Autonomy

The move comes in the context of growing tensions between the Trump administration and U.S. universities, many of which have been sites of large-scale pro-Palestinian protests following Israel’s military actions in Gaza. These demonstrations, some of which have included foreign students, have drawn condemnation from the administration.

President Donald Trump has portrayed the protests as breeding grounds for antisemitism and pro-Hamas sentiment. In contrast, student organizers—including Jewish advocacy groups—say they are exercising their constitutional rights to protest Israel’s policies and advocate for Palestinian human rights.

Harvard Pushes Back

Harvard confirmed it had received Noem’s letter and acknowledged the grant cancellations, but reiterated its position on maintaining academic and institutional independence.

The university said it “will comply with the law” but “will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights.”

Harvard has maintained that it works to combat antisemitism and all forms of discrimination while protecting the rights of its students and faculty to engage in free expression.

Abdullah Shahid Sial, co-president of the Harvard Undergraduate Association, speaks at a protest on Cambridge Common organized by the City of Cambridge calling on Harvard leadership to resist interference at the university by the federal government in Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S. April 12, 2025. REUTERS/Nicholas Pfosi

Broader Effort to Rein in Academia

The threat to Harvard is part of a broader Trump administration effort to reshape higher education institutions. In recent weeks, the administration has:

  • Begun reviewing $9 billion in federal contracts and grants awarded to Harvard.
  • Frozen $2.3 billion in federal funding after Harvard rejected demands related to free speech restrictions and curriculum changes.
  • Threatened to revoke Harvard’s tax-exempt status, with CNN reporting that the IRS is preparing to finalize that decision soon.

Administration officials have also called for the elimination of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, a campus mask ban, and tighter control over university governance in exchange for continued funding.

Civil Liberties Groups Sound the Alarm

Human rights advocates and academic freedom organizations have condemned the administration’s actions as an attack on free expression and the independence of higher education. Concerns have also been raised about the use of visa enforcement as a political tool and the potential for Islamophobia and anti-Arab discrimination, especially during the ongoing war in Gaza.

The Trump administration has revoked hundreds of student visas across the country and is reportedly pursuing deportation proceedings against some foreign student protesters.

Other elite universities, including Columbia, Princeton, Brown, Cornell, and Northwestern, have also had funding frozen or canceled in recent weeks amid the administration’s broader campaign.

“Harvard Can Fund Its Own Chaos”

In defending the moves, Secretary Noem pointed to the university’s vast financial resources:

“With a $53.2 billion endowment, Harvard can fund its own chaos — DHS won’t,” she said, accusing the university of fostering an “anti-American, pro-Hamas ideology.”

Harvard, in response, warned that removing its tax-exempt status and slashing federal funding would jeopardize student financial aid and derail critical research, including in medical fields.