New Delhi: Thousands of international students, including around 800 from India, are facing an uncertain academic future after the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) revoked Harvard University’s authorisation to enroll foreign nationals. The decision effectively suspends Harvard’s ability to admit students on F-1 and J-1 visas under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), placing approximately 6,800 international students in jeopardy of deportation unless they transfer to other SEVP-approved institutions.
However, the Trump administration has provided Harvard with a 72-hour window to comply with six specific conditions in order to have its SEVP certification reinstated. The move follows growing tensions between the administration and the university, particularly regarding alleged campus antisemitism.
Conditions for reinstatement
To restore its ability to host international students, Harvard must submit detailed records to the DHS within the stipulated timeframe. The six conditions outlined are:
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Illegal activity records: Submission of all available documentation—including informal notes, emails, electronic records, and audiovisual material—pertaining to any illegal acts committed by international students over the past five years, whether on or off campus.
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Violent or dangerous conduct: All records related to any non-immigrant student’s involvement in violent or dangerous behavior, again on or off campus, in the same time period.
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Threats against others: Harvard is required to disclose any records of threats made by foreign students against peers or university staff over the last five years.
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Rights violations: Information regarding any incidents where international students allegedly infringed on the rights of other students or staff must be submitted.
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Disciplinary history: The university must provide disciplinary records for all international students enrolled in the past five years.
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Protest footage: Any video or audio recordings in the university’s possession capturing protest activity involving foreign students on campus over the last five years must also be handed over.
Failure to meet these demands within the 72-hour deadline could result in the permanent loss of Harvard’s ability to admit foreign students, potentially forcing thousands to leave the United States or scramble for alternative arrangements.
