The Donald Trump administration has revoked Harvard University’s ability to admit foreign students, leaving the academic future of nearly 6,800 international students hanging in the balance, including around 800 from India.
However, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has left a 72-hour window open for the Ivy League institution to regain its certification, provided it complies with a set of six strict conditions, as per a report by India Today.
With its Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification suspended, Harvard can no longer issue F-1 or J-1 visas to foreign students, a move that has thrown a quarter of its student body into legal limbo.
Affected students must now either transfer to another SEVP-certified institution or risk deportation due to the loss of legal immigration status.
What must Harvard do to reverse the order?
The suspension is tied to an escalating conflict between the Trump administration and Harvard, reportedly over how the university has handled incidents of campus antisemitism. While the administration has not explicitly confirmed this as the reason, the timing aligns with ongoing tensions, added India Today.
To restore its SEVP certification, Harvard must submit the following records within 72 hours:
1. All documentation, including emails, videos, and informal communications, related to any illegal activity by non-immigrant students over the past five years, both on and off campus.
2. Records of dangerous or violent activity involving non-immigrant students.
3. Evidence of threats made by non-immigrant students toward others on campus.
4. Reports of any deprivation of the rights of fellow students or staff by non-immigrant students.
5. All disciplinary records of non-immigrant students from the last five years.
6. Footage of any protest activity involving non-immigrant students on Harvard’s campuses in the last five years.
These demands, critics argue, may raise serious questions about student privacy and academic freedom, particularly in light of growing concerns over political interference in US universities.
For students affected, particularly those from India, the situation is dire.
With just days to respond and limited guidance, many are unsure whether they will be able to complete their education in the US.
Unless Harvard complies with the DHS directive, foreign students who remain enrolled could find themselves without valid immigration status, a risk that may prompt immediate legal and logistical consequences.
