Trump Revokes Harvard's Right to Enroll International Student Amid Ideological Clash
By: Israel Adeleke
OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA (OTN) News reports as gathered that in what looks like a dramatic escalation of his ongoing clash with elite academic institutions, the United State of America President, Donald Trump’s administration on Thursday revoked Harvard University's right to enroll international students, citing alleged noncompliance with federal oversight and what it called an “unsafe” and “hostile” campus environment.
OTN News further reports as gathered that the decision which was disclosed in an official letter to the university by the Homeland Security Secretary, Kristi Noem, effectively strips Harvard of its Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVIS) certification, a key federal authorization required for admitting foreign nationals.
OTN News observes that the action comes just weeks after Trump threatened such a move, demanding that Harvard accept political oversight of its admissions and hiring practices, an ultimatum the university rejected.
According to Noem, “Effective immediately, Harvard University’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification is revoked. All universities must comply with Department of Homeland Security requirements… to maintain this privilege.”
OTN News further observes from the information gathered that Noem’s letter accuses Harvard of “perpetuating an unsafe campus environment that is hostile to Jewish students, promotes pro-Hamas sympathies, and employs racist ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ policies.”
The statement also points to Harvard’s alleged failure to respond to repeated requests for information from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Trump has been openly critical of Harvard, branding it a “woke” institution and a hub of leftist ideology.
OTN News also observes that the university has come under particular scrutiny amid heightened national debate over campus free speech, anti-Semitism, and political activism following global tensions related to the Israel-Hamas conflict.
According to internal university data, more than 27 percent of Harvard’s student body for the 2024–25 academic year consists of international students. The revocation of SEVIS certification now places the academic futures of thousands of those students in jeopardy, raising urgent questions about their visa status and continued enrollment.
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