Harvard University is taking a federal action against the Trump administration for their decision to terminate visas of international students on the university’s visa program.
Harvard filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration, challenging the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) abrupt decision to revoke the university’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification.
The move, announced by DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, bars Harvard from enrolling international students for the 2025-2026 academic year.
It also threatens the legal status of approximately 7,000 current international students, who make up 27% of the university’s student body.
The lawsuit, filed in Boston’s federal court, accuses the DHS of violating the First Amendment, the Due Process Clause, and the Administrative Procedure Act.
Harvard claims the revocation is a retaliatory response to its refusal to fully comply with what it calls “overly broad and invasive” DHS demands for records, including protest footage and disciplinary files of international students over the past five years.
According to Harvard, they partially complied on April 30, 2025, but DHS deemed the response inadequate without clear reasoning.
“This action is an unprecedented assault on academic freedom and the ability of American universities to compete globally,” Harvard stated in its filing.
Harvard has also declared their commitment to ensuring international students are protected. In a statement they released on their official website, the Ivy League institution says it “stands with all International students.”