Daijiworld Media Network – Washington

Washington, May 23: In a dramatic escalation of its ongoing probe into elite educational institutions, the Trump administration on Thursday revoked Harvard University’s certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), a move that could severely impact its ability to enroll international students. However, the Ivy League institution has been given a 72-hour window to fulfill six stringent conditions to regain its status.

The Department of Homeland Security, acting on directives from the White House, issued a letter to Harvard University citing concerns over “fostering violence, antisemitism, and alleged affiliations with the Chinese Communist Party.” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter), stating, “It is a privilege, not a right, for universities to enroll foreign students. Harvard had ample opportunity to rectify its course but chose not to.”

To reverse the decision, Harvard must submit comprehensive documentation that includes:

1. Electronic and physical records of any illegal, dangerous, or violent activities by non-immigrant students in the past five years.

2. All disciplinary reports involving non-immigrant students.

3. Audio/video footage of any protest activity involving foreign students on campus.

4. Informal and official records concerning any threats or deprivation of rights to fellow students or university staff by non-immigrant students.

5. Data logs of foreign student involvement in events deemed as compromising to national security.

6. Evidence of internal investigations conducted into foreign student activities linked to extremism or foreign influence.

Failure to meet these requirements within the stipulated 72-hour timeframe will render Harvard’s ban under SEVP final and effective for the upcoming academic year.

The move is expected to create uncertainty for the 788 Indian students currently enrolled at Harvard, many of whom are pursuing graduate-level programmes. According to university data, Indian scholars form a significant chunk of the international student community that accounts for 27.3% of Harvard's overall enrollment.

The SEVP ban follows an active investigation by the Department of Homeland Security into Harvard's campus affairs, particularly focused on allegations of harboring anti-national activities. The government’s stance, sources say, is part of a larger crackdown aimed at tightening oversight on foreign student visa programs amid rising geopolitical tensions.

Harvard University, which boasts a multibillion-dollar endowment, has not yet officially responded to the ultimatum. University officials are expected to hold an emergency meeting to decide on compliance.

The development has sparked intense reactions across academic and diplomatic circles, with concerns about academic freedom, global collaboration, and the future of international education in the United States.