US President Donald Trump has signed a proclamation temporarily suspending student visas for international students enrolled at Harvard University, the White House announced on Wednesday, June 5.
The six-month suspension, renewable upon review, also directs the US State Department to consider revoking academic or exchange visas of current Harvard students who meet certain unspecified criteria, as per a report by NDTV.
In response, Harvard University issued a strong statement condemning the move as “yet another illegal retaliatory step taken by the Administration in violation of Harvard's First Amendment rights.”
The university vowed to “continue to protect its international students.”
This proclamation is the latest in a series of escalating confrontations between the Trump administration and the Ivy League institution. Previous actions have included freezing billions of dollars in federal funding and proposing the revocation of Harvard’s tax-exempt status. These actions have triggered multiple legal challenges.
Last month, Harvard sued the government after Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the immediate revocation of its Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification. A federal judge temporarily blocked that move.
The new directive claims that Harvard has “demonstrated a history of concerning foreign ties and radicalism,” citing alleged connections with foreign adversaries, including China. It also references FBI concerns about foreign interference in US academia and accuses Harvard of failing to report illegal activities by foreign students.
The standoff, which began after Trump accused Harvard of failing to protect Jewish students following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, is now drawing wider concern over its potential impact on academic freedom, research collaboration, and US diplomatic ties, added NDTV.
International students make up roughly 25 per cent of Harvard’s student body.
