DHS Threatens Harvard’s Foreign Student Enrollment Over Compliance Demands

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has warned Harvard University that its ability to enroll foreign students could be revoked if the university fails to comply with a series of demands, including providing detailed information about international students and adhering to certain reporting requirements, Al Jazeera reports.

In a letter dated Wednesday, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem requested detailed records regarding what she described as “illegal and violent activities” of Harvard’s foreign student population. The deadline for compliance is set for April 30, after which the university could face the immediate loss of its Student and Exchange Visitor Programme (SEVP) certification.

“If Harvard cannot verify it is in full compliance with its reporting requirements, the university will lose the privilege of enrolling foreign students,” Secretary Noem stated.

The DHS is specifically requesting information regarding threats made by visa-holding students against other students or university personnel, instances of obstruction to the learning environment, and details of any disciplinary actions taken by the university related to student participation in protests or alleged threats.

According to The Harvard Crimson, the DHS letter also alleges that Harvard has created a “hostile learning environment” for Jewish students and emphasized that the enrollment of foreign students is “a privilege, not a guarantee.”

In addition to the compliance demands, Secretary Noem announced the cancellation of over $2.7 million in grants to Harvard. The department cited concerns about the university’s ability to safeguard taxpayer dollars and uphold American values and security.

The current administration has previously taken action against other universities, including Columbia, Princeton, Brown, Cornell, and Northwestern, by freezing or cancelling funding. These actions are reportedly connected to concerns regarding pro-Palestinian activism among faculty and students.

Harvard has reportedly rejected previous requests from the administration, arguing that complying would cede institutional control to the government. Following these rejections, the administration reportedly froze $2.3 billion in funding.

Earlier this week, the administration suggested it would consider revoking Harvard’s tax-exempt status. CNN reported on Wednesday that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is developing plans to rescind Harvard’s tax-exempt status, with a final decision expected in the near future.