By Douglas Belkin and Michelle Hackman

The Trump administration has threatened to stop international students from attending Harvard University as part of a growing pressure campaign against the nation's most prominent university.

The threat arrived Wednesday in the form of a letter from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem after Harvard on Monday refused to comply with demands made by the administration, including that the university -- under federal oversight -- "audit" the viewpoints of faculty, student and staff. Harvard President Alan Garber called the demands an illegal attack on the school's independence.

Harvard enrolls about 10,000 international students, and like many U.S. universities it relies on their tuition payments -- often full-freight. The threat follows another move by the administration to begin proceedings to revoke the school's tax-exempt status, which could be a devastating blow to the university's finances, according to experts in higher-education finance.

The Homeland Security Department letter said hosting international students was a privilege not a guarantee and because Harvard had "created a hostile learning environment for Jewish students" the administration was requesting information about visa holders by April 30.

"Failure to comply with this Student Records Request will be treated as a voluntary withdrawal" of the certification system that allows international students to enroll at Harvard. "The withdrawal will not be subject to appeal," Noem wrote.

Harvard didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

On Wednesday, DHS also canceled two grants totaling $2.7 million and declared Harvard "unfit to be entrusted with taxpayer dollars."

"Harvard bending the knee to antisemitism -- driven by its spineless leadership -- fuels a cesspool of extremist riots and threatens our national security," said Noem in a statement released to the press.

Harvard has said it has taken several steps to address antisemitism that boiled up during student protests over the war in Gaza. In a recent letter to the Harvard community, Garber said that while some of the administration's demands pertain to fighting antisemitism, the majority represent a move to impose "direct governmental regulation of the 'intellectual conditions' at Harvard."

The DHS said the canceled grants funded "shockingly skewed" studies.

In the letter, Noem called for the school to provide information regarding each student visa holder's known illegal, dangerous or violent activity, and whether the activity occurred on campus. DHS also asked for known threats to classmates by visa holders or obstruction of the school's learning environment.

Write to Douglas Belkin at Doug.Belkin@wsj.com and Michelle Hackman at michelle.hackman@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

April 17, 2025 11:46 ET (15:46 GMT)

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