US President Donald Trump has signed a proclamation suspending the issuance of international visas for new students at Harvard University, a significant escalation in the administration’s efforts to restrict foreign nationals from attending the institution.

 

 

The measure temporarily bars nearly all new international students from entering the U.S. under the most commonly used student and academic exchange visas—F, M, and J visas. It also instructs the Secretary of State to consider revoking those same visas for current Harvard students who meet the proclamation’s criteria.

 

 

 

Harvard, where international students make up about 27% of the student body, now faces renewed uncertainty just days after a federal judge blocked an earlier attempt by the administration to limit its enrollment of foreign students.

 

 

A university spokesperson stated that Harvard will continue to protect its international students, calling the proclamation “another illegal retaliatory step taken by the Administration in violation of Harvard’s First Amendment rights.”

 

 

 

The White House described the order as a national security measure, alleging that Harvard has foreign ties and promotes radicalism. Officials accused the university of withholding information about international students and underreporting disciplinary data, citing a report that only included three students. The administration also faulted Harvard for failing to address antisemitism on campus and for continuing to prioritise diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

 

 

The proclamation exempts individuals whose entry is deemed to be in the national interest and does not apply to students attending other U.S. universities through the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). It is set to last six months unless extended, and directs the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security to assess whether an extension is warranted within 90 days.

 

 

The document states that Harvard’s conduct has made it “an unsuitable destination for foreign students and researchers.”

 

 

 

China, the second-largest source of international students in the U.S., swiftly condemned the decision. A Foreign Ministry spokesperson emphasized the mutual benefits of educational cooperation and criticized the move as political interference.

 

 

The new policy follows a recent court ruling in which a U.S. District Court judge ordered the Trump administration not to implement changes to Harvard’s international student visa program. The ruling came in response to an earlier attempt by the Department of Homeland Security to revoke the university’s SEVP certification. That effort was based on Harvard’s refusal to share conduct records of foreign students requested by DHS.

 

 

Harvard has accused the government of ignoring its own procedural requirements and claimed the action was retaliatory, rooted in the university’s resistance to ideological policy changes.

 

 

 

The administration has repeatedly clashed with Harvard over its campus programming, hiring, admissions practices, and efforts to address antisemitism and diversity-related policies. The U.S. Department of Education has warned universities that failing to protect Jewish students or considering race in various institutional decisions could result in the loss of federal funding.

 

 

The administration has also challenged Columbia University, arguing that it no longer meets accreditation standards due to alleged failure to protect Jewish students.

 

 

The focus on Harvard intensified after Trump officials sent a letter to the university on March 31, indicating a review of all $9 billion in federal contracts and grants. The university later filed a lawsuit over the freezing of $2.2 billion in federal funding, which Harvard claimed was punitive. An additional $450 million in grants was subsequently cut, and the administration threatened to strip Harvard of its tax-exempt status.

 

 

Last week, the White House ordered all federal agencies to cancel remaining contracts with Harvard, totalling approximately $100 million.