The Trump administration’s war on international students and their visas is escalating fast, and Harvard and China are caught at the center of it. In the last two weeks, we’ve seen three major developments:
1. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) tried to strip Harvard of its SEVIS certification
2. The State Department ordered enhanced vetting for all visa applicants linked to Harvard
3. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a plan to revoke visas for Chinese students
Let’s break it down.
First, the SEVIS certification termination.
DHS pulled Harvard’s ability to sponsor international students. If you’re an F-1 student on OPT or STEM OPT through Harvard, that puts your status at serious risk. A federal judge stepped in with a temporary restraining order, blocking DHS from enforcing the SEVIS termination, for now. That pause is important, but it’s not permanent.
If you’re on OPT through Harvard, this still matters:
· You can’t transfer your OPT to another school
· STEM OPT is likely off the table
· Your SEVIS transfer-out date needs to be after your OPT ends, or you risk losing status
Then came the enhanced vetting order.
The State Department sent a cable ordering consular officers to apply extra scrutiny to anyone applying for a U.S. visa tied to Harvard. This includes students, faculty, contractors, guest speakers, and tourists. It means if you’re connected to Harvard, you’re flagged.
Consular officers were told to:
· Ask visa applicants to make their private social media accounts public
· Treat limited visibility of social media activity as a potential red flag and question the applicant’s credibility
· Deny the visa if they’re not “personally and completely satisfied” that the applicant will follow the rules
This isn’t routine vetting. It’s ideological screening that’s being floated as a pilot for broader use across other schools.
And now, visas for Chinese students are on the chopping block.
Secretary Marco Rubio announced the government will start “aggressively” revoking the visas of Chinese students, especially those studying in “critical fields” or with ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Harvard currently enrolls more than 1,200 students from China. Their visas are now at risk, along with those of over 277,000 Chinese students across the U.S.
The current government’s message is obvious: if you’re from China and studying in the U.S., your status is on thin ice.
This is not normal.
Targeting a single university with visa restrictions is not standard immigration policy. Ordering social media checks on faculty and tourists is not about public safety. Revoking thousands of student visas is not a sign of strength.
This is coordinated, political, and dangerous. It’s an attempt to turn U.S. immigration law into an ideological test.
If you’re a student, scholar, or university administrator, we urge you to stay alert. If you need help figuring out what this means for your visa or your future, reach out. We’re watching this closely, and we’re here to support you.
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