On May 22, Harvard University was given 72 hours to hand over all disciplinary records of international students in the last five years if it wants to regain its Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) status.
Announcing the revocation of Harvard’s SEVP certification, US homeland security secretary, Kristi Noem, laid out claims that the university has been “coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party”. It follows on from months of escalating tension between the institution and federal officials who have accused Harvard of fostering antisemitism on its campus.
In a complaint submitted to the Boston federal court on May 23, the university described the revocation as “a blatant violation of the First Amendment, the Due Process Clause, and the Administrative Procedure Act”.
“For more than 70 years, Harvard University has been certified by the federal government to enrol international students under the F-1 visa program, and it has long been designated as an exchange program sponsor to host J-1 nonimmigrants,” the document read.
“Harvard has, over this time, developed programs and degrees tailored to its international students, invested millions to recruit the most talented such students, and integrated its international students into all aspects of the Harvard community. Yesterday, the government abruptly revoked that certification without process or cause, to immediate and devastating effect for Harvard and more than 7,000 visa holders.”
With the stroke of a pen, the government has sought to erase a quarter of Harvard’s student body, international students who contribute significantly to the university and its mission
Harvard University
“With the stroke of a pen, the government has sought to erase a quarter of Harvard’s student body, international students who contribute significantly to the university and its mission.”
The revocation not only prevents Harvard from enrolling any F-1 or J-1 students for the 2025/26 academic year but also mandates that current international students must transfer to another university to maintain their legal status in the US.
Coming just one week before thousands of Harvard students were set to graduate, the announcement sparked widespread fear and uncertainty across the university campus.
In an open letter to the Harvard community, the university’s president, Alan M. Garber, said the revocation “continues a series of government actions to retaliate against Harvard for our refusal to surrender academic independence and to submit to the federal government’s illegal assertion of control over our curriculum, our faculty, and our student body”.
In a message to international students, Garber said: “Know that you are vital members of our community. You are our classmates and friends, our colleagues and mentors, our partners in the work of this great institution. Thanks to you, we know more and understand more, and our country and our world are more enlightened and more resilient. We will support you as we do our utmost to ensure that Harvard remains open to the world.”
The row with Harvard has been one of the focal points of the administration’s sweeping attacks on higher education, which has seen investigations launched into dozens of universities and the termination of thousands of international students’ legal status.
