Last month, Trump threatened to stop Harvard from enrolling foreign students if it did not agree to government demands that would put the private institution under outside political supervision.
“As I explained to you in my April letter, it is a privilege to enroll foreign students,” Noem wrote.
“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,” she said.
“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.”
More than 27 percent of Harvard’s enrollment was made up of foreign students in the 2024-25 academic year, according to university data.
Fourth-year US student Alice Goyer told AFP “no one knows” what the development would mean for international students already enrolled.
“We just got the news, so I’ve been getting texts from a lot of international friends, and I think everyone’s just — no one knows,” she said.
“Everyone’s panicking a bit.”
On whether students would willingly transfer to other institutions, as suggested by Noem in her letter, Goyer said, “I doubt people would do that.”
“I would hope maybe there’s going to be a legal battle that’ll take place.”
A federal judge on Thursday ordered a nationwide halt to any terminations of international students’ legal status, although it was not immediately clear how the ruling would impact those enrolled at Harvard.
Judge Jeffrey White said US officials have “wreaked havoc” on people’s lives, and the injunction would provide “stability” for them to continue their studies.
It follows aggressive moves by the Trump administration against universities where student activists have protested Israel over the war in Gaza.
The administration has revoked “thousands” of visas, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday, under an obscure law that allows removals for activities deemed counter to US foreign policy interests.
Columbia is another top US university targeted by the Trump administration, which has cut $400 million in federal aid to the institution.
Its New York campus was the site of demonstrations calling for an end to violence in Gaza for the past 18 months, and has seen student protesters arrested by federal authorities.
© 2025 AFP