DHS Threatens to Revoke Harvard’s Eligibility to Host Foreign Students Amid Broader Battle Over Universities’ Autonomy
Universities are fighting the Trump administration on multiple fronts: research funding, academic curriculum, and the protection of both domestic and international students. Rumors have circulated that the administration might use international certification as leverage to pressure universities into acquiescing to its demands — and now, that threat appears to be becoming a reality.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is threatening to strip Harvard University of its ability to enroll international students if it doesn’t turn over records on international students’ “illegal and violent activities,” the agency said Wednesday.
Noem “wrote a scathing letter demanding detailed records on Harvard’s foreign student visa holders’ illegal and violent activities by April 30, 2025, or face immediate loss of Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification,” DHS said in a news release.
US Court Temporarily Restores F-1 Status of International Student in Key Legal Breakthrough
A US district court has temporarily restored the F-1 visa status of Xiaotian Liu, an international student at Dartmouth College, offering the first legal relief for hundreds of students who have recently faced sudden visa terminations.
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19 State AGs Ask Federal Judge to Block Trump’s International Student-Visa Cancellations
Nineteen Democratic state attorneys general are asking a federal judge to stop the Trump administration from cancelling hundreds of international student visas ‒ a move that’s sent shockwaves through the collegiate community.
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A US-China Trade War with Students and Tourists as Potential Pawns
As many of us follow the news about the President’s ongoing “trade war,” we understand what’s coming: higher prices at the store for our everyday essentials. The tariffs being imposed on China are doing more than just driving up the cost of goods at places like Walmart and Target — they’re also discouraging international students from China from coming to study in the US. While the relationship between the US and China has always had its challenges, tensions notably escalated during Trump’s first term. President Biden made efforts to ease that strain, attempting to reset the tone and encourage cooperation. But with the return of Trump-style policies in what many are calling “Trump 2.0,” it seems we’re back on a path of confrontation rather than collaboration.
The United States, for its part, has revoked some Chinese student and scholar visas, as part of a broader targeting of international students by the Trump administration. While the moves were not directly related to the trade dispute, some conservatives have suggested linking them: Donald Trump Jr., the president’s son, posted online last week that it was a “great idea” to expel all Chinese students as retaliation for China hitting back with its own tariffs.
Read more on the New York Times >
Some Foreign Students Fear Speaking Out as Visa Cancellations Rise
An increasing number of international students in the US are facing visa revocations, fueling widespread fear and uncertainty across campuses. Many are unsure if they’ll be the next to lose legal status, with concerns ranging from travel restrictions to minor infractions like unpaid parking tickets. The US has long attracted top global talent with its world-class education options and promise of freedom. But as enforcement actions rise without clear explanations, students are rethinking their futures here. Advocates warn that without more transparent and consistent policies, the US risks damaging its reputation as a destination for international education.
Since mid-March, the number of international students and scholars who have had their visas revoked, their federal record terminated — or both — has climbed to nearly 1,000, according to NAFSA: Association of International Educators. The American Immigration Lawyers Association estimates the number of terminated records for international students could be higher, at least 4,700 since Trump’s inauguration. As the numbers climb, noncitizen scholars in blue states and red states, at elite private schools and publics, have changed their daily routines, worried they could be next.
