Trump Suspends Harvard’s Foreign Student Visas

By Staff, Agencies

President Donald Trump has suspended for six months the entry of foreign students enrolled in Harvard University programs, citing “national security” concerns.

The controversial move marks a dramatic escalation in an ongoing feud between the White House and the prestigious institution.

Issued via a presidential proclamation on Wednesday, the suspension halts new student and exchange visas for international students intending to study at Harvard and instructs the Secretary of State to consider revoking visas already held by current international students. The order could be extended beyond six months.

Trump accused Harvard of “extensive entanglements” with foreign entities and claimed the university was “flouting the civil rights of its students and faculty.” The White House also claimed Harvard had failed to report potentially illegal or dangerous activities by international students, providing "deficient data on only three students."

Harvard fired back, calling the action “retaliatory” and “illegal,” stating it violated the university’s First Amendment rights. The university emphasized its ongoing commitment to protecting international students and accused the administration of targeting it politically.

This latest move follows a series of legal disputes. Last month, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem revoked Harvard’s ability to certify international students, a decision temporarily blocked by a judge. Another judge reaffirmed that protection last week, ensuring that foreign students could remain on campus as legal proceedings continue.

Now, the president's latest proclamation throws the future of nearly 7,000 foreign students — who represent 27% of Harvard's 2024–2025 student body — into uncertainty once more.

Tensions between the Trump administration and Harvard have been intensifying since April, when the university resisted White House pressure related to allegations of campus antisemitism and demands over foreign influence disclosures. Trump also froze billions in federal funding to Harvard, deepening the standoff.

The administration’s wider crackdown on elite academic institutions continued on the same day, with threats to strip Columbia University of its accreditation over alleged civil rights violations of Jewish students amid campus protests tied to the Gaza conflict.

Just last week, during Harvard’s graduation, a Chinese student made headlines for calling for unity—days after Trump pledged to "aggressively" revoke visas for Chinese nationals at US universities.

The legal and political storm surrounding Harvard is becoming a flashpoint in Trump’s broader campaign to reshape the US education system and crack down on perceived threats from foreign influence.