How Donald Trump’s Crackdown On Harvard Will Affect Indian Students

New Delhi:
US President Donald Trump’s administration has revoked Harvard University’s authority to enrol international students under a federal government scheme called the federal Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). The SEVP allows designated institutions to enrol international students and issue them the necessary documentation to apply for a visa.

The decision, announced by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Thursday, directly puts at risk the futures of nearly 6,800 international students at Harvard, including nearly 800 students from India.

According to Harvard’s records, between 500 and 800 Indian students and scholars are enrolled each year across its various schools and departments. As of the latest count, 788 Indian students are currently studying at Harvard, most in graduate-level programmes. With the Trump administration’s action, these students must now transfer to another SEVP-certified institution if they intend to remain legally in the United States. Failure to do so could result in visa revocation and potential deportation.

Many Indian students are enrolled in long-term doctoral or multi-year graduate programmes, and transferring mid-course could be academically disruptive. With this latest move by the Trump administration, students have limited time to explore alternatives.

Reason For Revocation

In a letter issued by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, the government cited Harvard’s failure to comply with US government requests for information regarding foreign students on campus. Specifically, the letter accuses the university of not submitting disciplinary records and audiovisual documentation related to on-campus protests, some of which allegedly involved pro-Hamas sentiment and criticism of Israel. Noem also criticised Harvard’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies, calling them “racist” and “hostile to Jewish students.”

“This administration is holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus,” Noem wrote on X.

It is a privilege, not a right, for universities to enroll foreign students and benefit from their higher tuition payments…
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) May 22, 2025

The administration has given Harvard 72 hours to produce the requested documents and meet other demands if it hopes to restore its SEVP status.

Is It Legal?

Under US law, the Department of Homeland Security has jurisdiction over student visas and oversees the SEVP. By revoking Harvard’s SEVP certification, the DHS is essentially rendering the university unable to lawfully host foreign students.

While institutions have been removed from the SEVP list in the past, such actions have typically been reserved for serious administrative lapses such as loss of accreditation, lack of qualified faculty, or closure of the institution. Experts say the present action against Harvard is without precedent.