Harvard University — home to Nobel laureates, world leaders and top global talent — is now at the centre of a heated political and legal battle with the Trump administration.
The Department of Homeland Security recently tried to revoke Harvard’s certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Programme (SEVP), which allows the university to admit foreign students, reports the Gulf News.
If the ban takes effect, nearly 7,000 students — 27 per cent of the 2024–2025 student body — could be barred from enrolling or even face deportation.
A federal judge has temporarily blocked this move, giving Harvard a brief reprieve while the legal fight unfolds. Harvard calls the action politically motivated retaliation, violating its constitutional rights and threatening its academic mission.
The administration, meanwhile, accuses Harvard of failing to address antisemitism, ideological imbalance, and problematic hiring practices.
The consequences go far beyond reputation. $2.2 billion in federal research funds have been frozen, layoffs are looming, some facilities face closure, and Harvard’s global prestige is at risk. International students, many paying full tuition, fear for their futures. Families and governments from China to India and Belgium are watching closely.
'It feels like my world has exploded'
For many students, this is not just about policy — it’s about whether they can pursue the dreams they have worked for years to achieve.
Still, some current students and those bound for the university in the fall were weighing other opportunities. Two universities in Hong Kong on Friday extended invites to affected students.
“It feels like my world has exploded,” said Fang, a Chinese student who was accepted to Harvard for a master’s programme. She also spoke to Associated Press on the condition that only her first name be used out of fear that she could be targeted.
Her student visa was approved just this week. “If America becomes a country that doesn’t welcome me, I don’t want to go there.
The recent developments forced Aleksandra Conevska, a Canadian graduate student researching climate change, to cancel her summer research and briefly look for jobs in Canada. But her thinking has since shifted, and she says she plans to remain at Harvard.
“I’ve already invested in this country, and I’m not going to give in,” she said.
What’s happening at Harvard right now?
The Trump administration attempted to revoke Harvard’s SEVP certification, which would block new international admissions and force current international students to leave or transfer.
Can they actually do that?
Currently, a federal judge has paused the ban with a temporary restraining order. Court hearings on May 28 and 29 will decide whether that block remains.
The administration’s move raises legal questions. According to federal regulations (8 CFR §214.4), the Department of Homeland Security can revoke a school’s SEVP certification if it doesn’t meet programme requirements, according to Forbes.
But the process requires a Notice of Intent to Withdraw (NOIW), giving the school 30 days to respond and fix issues. Harvard argues the government skipped these steps and acted unlawfully. Legal experts say this unprecedented action against Harvard will face intense judicial review.
Why is the government doing this?
Officially, the administration claims Harvard hasn’t properly handled antisemitism, mishandled internal investigations, and is biased in faculty hiring and student admissions. They also want Harvard to allow more ideological diversity, citing an overwhelmingly liberal campus.
Critics, however, see this as political retaliation — especially after Harvard sued the government over the freeze of $2 billion in research funding, alleging political interference. Earlier, the government demanded wide-ranging reforms, including restricting foreign student admissions, which Harvard refused.
How many students are affected?
About 6,793 international students — nearly one-third of Harvard’s student body — are at risk. A fifth are from China, with others from India, Canada, South Korea, and the UK. Among them is Princess Elisabeth of Belgium.
International students often pay full tuition, which helps subsidise American students. Undergraduate tuition alone exceeds $59,000 per year, with total costs often topping $100,000 before aid,,an AP report said.
What happens if the ban goes through?
New international students won’t be allowed to enroll. Current students would lose visa status unless they transfer to other schools. Their dependents could also lose legal residency. Some might switch to tourist visas temporarily, but that’s risky.
What’s the impact on Harvard?
Losing international students would hurt Harvard financially and academically, especially in research-heavy fields like STEM and medicine. Harvard Medical School is already facing layoffs, and the School of Public Health is scaling back, with frozen research funds worsening the situation.
While Harvard’s endowment is over $53 billion, most funds are restricted and cannot cover sudden losses or policy changes.
How are students reacting?
Many students are terrified. Some call the situation “disastrous.” Their education and futures are suddenly uncertain.
What’s next?
Allison Burroughs, the federal judge, who was appointed in 2014 by former President Barack Obama, will begin to lay out her timeline for the case when she holds a status conference on Tuesday in Boston federal court. Two days later, she will hear arguments on whether she should extend her bar on the government’s actions while the litigation moves forward.
Trump administration lawyers will also argue their side of the case. It’s not clear when Burroughs might rule and an air of uncertainty could continue to hang over campus into the summer when many global students would arrive to prepare for the academic year.
If Burroughs allows the order to take effect, Harvard’s thousands of international students would have little choice but to try to secure a transfer to another school, or they will end up without legal status in the US, the school said.
Harvard would no longer be able to sponsor those visa holders for its upcoming summer and fall terms, despite having admitted them.
