‘Dream suspended’: Trump crackdown on Harvard University sets off anxiety in India

This moment of rupture came after DHS revoked Harvard’s certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), effectively stripping the university of its legal ability to host international students. In an order issued by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, the Ivy League institution has been locked out of the SEVIS database—the digital backbone that enables foreign students to maintain visa status in the US.

The decision has an immediate effect on more than 7,000 international students on the Harvard campus of whom almost 800 are Indians, all of whom must now explore urgent “transfer” options or risk falling out of legal status in the US.

The US administration has framed the decision as a response to what it called a “hostile” campus climate for Jewish students and the university’s refusal to comply with requests for surveillance footage and disciplinary records of foreign students tied to protest activity. Harvard now has 72 hours to comply or face long-term exclusion from the federal system.

The university has denied these allegations and responded on Friday by filing a motion in court for a temporary restraining order.

In a statement, it said: “Without its international students, Harvard is not Harvard. Yesterday, the federal government announced that it has revoked Harvard’s certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program and stripped the University of its authority to sponsor F- and J- visas for international students and scholars for the 2025–26 academic year. The revocation continues a series of government actions to retaliate against Harvard for our refusal to surrender our academic independence and to submit to the federal government’s illegal assertion of control over our curriculum, our faculty, and our student body.

We have filed a complaint, and a motion for a temporary restraining order will follow. As we pursue legal remedies, we will do everything in our power to support our students and scholars,” the Harvard statement added.

For the 24-year-old student from Haryana’s Khetal district, this is cold comfort.

“I’ve already paid 700 dollars as part of my acceptance. That’s almost a month’s salary. And it’s non-refundable,” he said. “Harvard hasn’t communicated anything to us directly.”

A graduate in political science from Delhi University, he is yet to file for an F1 visa, and the timeline now feels like quicksand. “The total fee is around ₹1.8 crore. I wanted to repay it by working in the US for three years. I’m eligible for that. But even that now feels uncertain.”

Many Indian students are facing the same uncertainty. A 26-year-old from Ahmedabad, awarded the prestigious Kennedy Fellowship for the Public Policy program, said, “This feels theatrical. I’m just waiting for 72 hours to decide whether to defer or proceed.”

A 52-year-old principal of a renowned Delhi school, who was set to begin a Master’s in Education, struck a more measured tone: “Yes, I was overwhelmed. But I still have hope. The SEVIS system has seen reversals before. If I don’t go this year, I will go next year.”

Another 25-year-old from Delhi who accepted an MPA offer from the Kennedy School in April shared that he had already written to Harvard in anticipation of visa complications. “They said if we’re unable to secure a visa in time, we’ll be allowed to defer or get a refund. So I had prepared myself for this.”

Unofficially, some Harvard faculty have also reached out to students on online groups expressing solidarity, he added.

Students already enrolled at Harvard, meanwhile, are watching the unfolding crisis on campus with fear. A 28-year-old currently in her first year of a Master’s in Public Policy said, “As Indians, everything connects back to the family. This affects the mental health of our parents too.”

While Harvard’s central administration has pledged legal action, faculty members have been the most vocal in expressing solidarity with international students. According to The Harvard Crimson, several deans and departmental heads sent messages of reassurance.

“In its fight with Harvard specifically and higher education generally, the Trump administration is using international students as pawns,” wrote Philosophy chair Bernhard Nickel. “International students are essential members of our community. We welcome you.”

“There should be more clarity over the next couple of days,” wrote Paul J. Kosmin, director of undergraduate studies in the Classics Department. “Harvard has a deep bench of very able lawyers to push back on this unprecedented step.”

Speaking to The Indian Express, Texas-based immigration attorney Chand Paravathaneni explained the legal stakes: “⁠If SEVIS is terminated, students are no longer in lawful status. Unlawful presence may accrue immediately, especially if students are aware of the termination.”

Paravathaneni added that those on OPT or STEM OPT work authorisations could also be at risk. “They could lose their work authorization, and continuing to work may have immigration consequences.”

The options are few—and risky. “They could file for reinstatement with USCIS (US Citizenship and Immigration Services), which can take months. Leaving the country and re-entering with a new I-20 is another route, but it’s expensive and may jeopardize scholarships or admissions offers.”

For now, he advises students who haven’t scheduled visa interviews to wait. “If a temporary restraining order is granted by the court, SEVIS reinstatement could follow quickly.”

When reached for comment by The Indian Express, a US Department of State official said: “The Department of State does not comment on its internal documents or communications.”