Kristi Noem Threatens to Revoke Harvard’s Ability to Enroll Foreign Students Over ‘Cesspool of Extremist Riots’

AP Photo/Jack Dura, File

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has threatened to remove Harvard University from the Student and Exchange Visitor Program and block the school from enrolling foreign students.

In a letter sent to Harvard’s leadership that was released publicly Wednesday via a DHS press release, Noem demanded records on foreign students involved in protests or activities she described as promoting terrorism and antisemitism.

The university has until April 30 to respond to Noem with the information she demanded, or it risks being removed from the SEVP program.

Noem also announced the cancellation of two federal grants awarded to Harvard totaling $2.7 million. She blasted the school in a statement:

Harvard bending the knee to antisemitism — driven by its spineless leadership — fuels a cesspool of extremist riots and threatens our national security. With anti-American, pro-Hamas ideology poisoning its campus and classrooms, Harvard’s position as a top institution of higher learning is a distant memory. America demands more from universities entrusted with taxpayer dollars.

Noem’s letter follows President Donald Trump’s vow to freeze $2.2 billion in federal funding to Harvard and his threat revoke its tax-exempt status.

Trump and Noem both claim Harvard has tolerated, if not encouraged, antisemitism and allowed extremist views to spread on campus since Hamas’s October 7 on Israel.

The DHS press release concluded, “Since Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, Harvard’s foreign visa-holding rioters and faculty have spewed antisemitic hate, targeting Jewish students. With a $53.2 billion endowment, Harvard can fund its own chaos—DHS won’t. And if Harvard cannot verify it is in full compliance with its reporting requirements, the university will lose the privilege of enrolling foreign students.”

Trump said Monday he would freeze $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in contracts to Harvard after administrators said they would defy his demands to police protests on campus.

On Wednesday, the IRS said it was planning to rescind the university’s tax-exempt status.