The Trump administration on Thursday (May 29) indicated it may delay immediate action to revoke Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students, opting instead to follow a longer administrative process, according to a news report.
In a court filing, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed it had sent Harvard a notice of intent to withdraw its certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), which allows the university to host non-US students.
Harvard now has 30 days to respond to the notice, as required by federal regulations. The university had previously challenged the administration’s revocation, arguing it was unconstitutional and in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act.
Hearing scheduled in federal court
The notice was issued ahead of a scheduled hearing before US District Judge Allison Burroughs in Boston, who was expected to consider Harvard’s request to extend a temporary block on the revocation.
Harvard warned that revoking SEVP certification would impact nearly 6,800 international students—roughly 27% of its student body—and be “devastating” to both the institution and its academic mission.