In a post on his Truth social network on Sunday, Trump said 31% of Harvard’s students are from foreign countries, including some “not at all friendly” nations. His administration requested that Harvard provide detailed information about these students, but the university refused to violate their privacy, despite Trump’s threat to cancel billions of dollars in federal funding.

US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem ordered a halt to Harvard’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), which serves as the legal basis allowing the university to admit international students. This decision will affect thousands of students and the revenue Harvard receives from them. Noem justified her decision by accusing Harvard of "inciting violence and antisemitism."

Harvard University rejected these accusations and affirmed its commitment to supporting international students. The university has filed a lawsuit against the federal government for revoking its authority to enroll international students. Federal Judge Allison Burroughs issued a temporary ruling blocking the DHS decision.