The Department of Homeland Security has issued a stark warning to Harvard University: provide detailed records on certain international students or forfeit the right to enroll them altogether. The directive, announced by DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, marks a sharp escalation in the federal government’s confrontation with the Ivy League institution.
Noem demanded that Harvard submit information by April 30 regarding what she described as “illegal and violent activities” by some foreign student visa holders. Failure to comply, she said as reported by Reuters, would result in Harvard losing its authority to admit international students under the federal visa programme.
Millions in grants cancelled
Two DHS grants worth over $2.7 million have already been terminated. Noem declared that taxpayer dollars would not support institutions she claims are fostering “anti-American, pro-Hamas ideology.”
“With a $53.2 billion endowment, Harvard can fund its own chaos — DHS won’t,” Noem said as quoted by Reuters, casting the university as a breeding ground for unrest amid the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict.
A Harvard spokesperson acknowledged receiving the letter, reiterating that while the university will obey the law, it “will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights.”
Campus protests spark federal retaliation
The crackdown follows a wave of pro-Palestinian demonstrations across elite campuses, including Harvard, in response to Israel’s military offensive in Gaza after the October 2023 Hamas attack. The Trump administration has characterized these protests as antisemitic and sympathetic to terrorism.
Protesters — including Jewish student groups — reject the accusation, saying they are standing for human rights and criticising the Israeli government’s actions, not Jewish identity.
The administration has already revoked hundreds of student visas nationwide and initiated deportation proceedings against international students linked to demonstrations.
Tax-exempt status on the chopping block
Further pressure mounted as CNN reported that the Internal Revenue Service is preparing to strip Harvard of its tax-exempt status. Trump endorsed the move on Tuesday, describing it as a necessary step against a university he claims is ideologically hostile to American values.
Harvard responded by warning that rescinding its tax-exempt status would not only be unprecedented but would also reduce financial aid, shutter vital medical research programmes, and diminish its ability to serve the public.
Crackdown targets multiple institutions
Harvard is not alone. The Trump administration has frozen or cancelled funding at several other elite universities, including Columbia, Princeton, Brown, Cornell, and Northwestern. Federal officials have tied the actions to opposition over DEI initiatives, transgender inclusion policies, and campus political activism.
Critics argue the administration is leveraging financial pressure to stifle dissent and enforce ideological conformity on higher education institutions.
Academic freedom under siege
Human rights groups and academic leaders have condemned the DHS threats as a dangerous overreach. They warn that the government’s actions could chill free expression on campuses and deter international scholars from coming to the US.
Concerns over Islamophobia and anti-Arab bias have intensified, with advocacy groups noting a lack of federal protections for affected students amid the ongoing conflict.
As Harvard faces the April 30 deadline, the confrontation stands as a flashpoint in the broader battle over the future of academic freedom, institutional independence, and America’s global educational standing.
