Thursday, June 5, 2025 - US President Donald Trump has signed a proclamation suspending the issuance of international visas for new students at Harvard University, a significant escalation in the administration's efforts to restrict foreign nationals from attending the institution
The measure temporarily bars nearly all new international
students from entering the U.S. under the most commonly used student and
academic exchange visas—F, M, and J visas. It also instructs the Secretary of
State to consider revoking those same visas for current Harvard students who
meet the proclamation’s criteria.
Harvard, where international students make up about 27% of
the student body, now faces renewed uncertainty just days after a federal judge
blocked an earlier attempt by the administration to limit its enrollment of
foreign students.
A university spokesperson stated that Harvard will continue
to protect its international students, calling the proclamation “another
illegal retaliatory step taken by the Administration in violation of Harvard’s
First Amendment rights.”
The White House described the order as a national security
measure, alleging that Harvard has foreign ties and promotes radicalism.
Officials accused the university of withholding information about international
students and underreporting disciplinary data, citing a report that only
included three students. The administration also faulted Harvard for failing to
address antisemitism on campus and for continuing to prioritise diversity,
equity, and inclusion initiatives.
The proclamation exempts individuals whose entry is deemed
to be in the national interest and does not apply to students attending other
U.S. universities through the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). It
is set to last six months unless extended, and directs the Attorney General and
the Secretary of Homeland Security to assess whether an extension is warranted
within 90 days.
The document states that Harvard’s conduct has made it “an
unsuitable destination for foreign students and researchers.”
China, the second-largest source of international students
in the U.S., swiftly condemned the decision. A Foreign Ministry spokesperson
emphasized the mutual benefits of educational cooperation and criticized the
move as political interference.
The new policy follows a recent court ruling in which a U.S.
District Court judge ordered the Trump administration not to implement changes
to Harvard’s international student visa program. The ruling came in response to
an earlier attempt by the Department of Homeland Security to revoke the
university’s SEVP certification. That effort was based on Harvard’s refusal to
share conduct records of foreign students requested by DHS.
Harvard has accused the government of ignoring its own
procedural requirements and claimed the action was retaliatory, rooted in the
university’s resistance to ideological policy changes.
The administration has repeatedly clashed with Harvard over
its campus programming, hiring, admissions practices, and efforts to address
antisemitism and diversity-related policies. The U.S. Department of Education
has warned universities that failing to protect Jewish students or considering
race in various institutional decisions could result in the loss of federal
funding.
The administration has also challenged Columbia University,
arguing that it no longer meets accreditation standards due to alleged failure
to protect Jewish students.
The focus on Harvard intensified after Trump officials sent
a letter to the university on March 31, indicating a review of all $9 billion
in federal contracts and grants. The university later filed a lawsuit over the
freezing of $2.2 billion in federal funding, which Harvard claimed was
punitive. An additional $450 million in grants was subsequently cut, and the
administration threatened to strip Harvard of its tax-exempt status.
Last week, the White House ordered all federal agencies to
cancel remaining contracts with Harvard, totalling approximately $100 million.
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