Since his return to the White House in January 2025, US President Donald Trump has initiated a series of aggressive policy reforms, particularly targeting foreign students in American universities. The administration presents these measures as efforts to uphold national security, combat antisemitism, and eliminate so-called “troublemakers” from academic institutions.

On May 29, during a media interaction, President Trump labeled international students as “troublemakers” and proposed a 15 percent cap on enrolling foreign students at Harvard University and other higher education institutions in the United States. He stated, “We don’t want to see shopping centres explode. We don’t want to see the kind of riots that you had, and I’ll tell you what, many of those students didn’t go anywhere, many of those students were troublemakers caused by the radical left.”

Trump further criticized Harvard's current foreign student population, asserting, “Harvard has to show us their lists. They have foreign students – almost 31 per cent of their students. We want to know where those students come from, whether they are troublemakers, and what countries they come from….These countries aren’t helping us. They’re not investing in Harvard … we are. So why would 31 per cent – why would a number so big…I think they should have a cap of maybe around 15 per cent, not 31 per cent.”

Emphasizing the impact on American students, Trump remarked, “We have people [who] want to go to Harvard and other schools, [but] they can’t get in because we have foreign students there. But I want to make sure that the foreign students are people who can love our country.”

Escalating his critique, the President labeled Harvard as a “disaster” and accused it of being “totally anti-semitic”, stating, “Harvard has been a disaster. They’ve taken $5 billion+… And by the way, they’re totally anti-semitic at Harvard, and some other colleges too. It’s been exposed, very exposed, and I think they’re dealing very badly. Every time they fight, they lose another 250 million dollars… I think this is what everyone’s coming up to me saying, we love the idea of trade schools with that kind of money and money from others, but money from them. You can have the best trade schools anywhere in the world… They can only be used for trade schools, and they’ll teach people how to build AI.”

Just days prior, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem informed Harvard that its Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification was “revoked effective immediately.” The administration accused the university of “fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party.”

Harvard’s Legal Battle Against Trump

Amid escalating tensions between academia and the White House, Harvard University filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. The lawsuit, filed in Boston federal court, paints a dire picture: more than 7,000 international students at Harvard now face an uncertain future, with the university warning of “immediate and devastating” consequences.

In its complaint, Harvard asserted, “With the stroke of a pen, the government has sought to erase a quarter of Harvard’s student body — international students who are vital to our mission and our nation’s future.”

This marked Harvard’s second lawsuit in just a month against the Trump administration — the first being over alleged federal interference in its curriculum, admissions, and hiring practices. Earlier, the administration had terminated significant federal funding to Harvard, including $60 million in grants, $450 million in additional funding, and $2.2 billion in research grants, citing the university’s alleged failure to curb antisemitism and comply with federal demands.

In April, Trump also called for the revocation of Harvard’s tax-exempt status, stating that it should be “taxed as a political entity if it keeps pushing political, ideological, and terrorist inspired/supporting ‘Sickness?’”

Interestingly, during his electoral campaign last year, Trump had softened his stance on foreign students, proposing the granting of automatic Green Cards to foreign students who graduate from US colleges. However, after returning to power, he reversed his position, launching a crackdown on foreign students and labeling them as “troublemakers.”

Trump’s second term has witnessed a renewed focus on immigration restrictions reminiscent of policies from his first term. The administration has targeted Harvard and other prestigious institutions, accusing them of fostering “anti-American” ideologies, antisemitism, and affiliations with foreign entities like the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Foreign students have come under increased scrutiny as the government prioritizes compliance with federal regulations, bolstering national security through stricter vetting, and addressing campus protests, especially those related to pro-Palestine activism.

On May 27, Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered US embassies and consular offices to halt the scheduling of new visa interviews for student applicants as the Trump administration considers strict vetting of applicants’ social media profiles.

This directive marks a broader application of existing vetting procedures to restrict foreign students’ entry to American schools and colleges. A cable obtained by Politico states, “Effective immediately, in preparation for an expansion of required social media screening and vetting, consular sections should not add any additional student or exchange visitor (F, M, and J) visa appointment capacity until further guidance is issued septel, which we anticipate in the coming days.”

While the cable does not detail what social media activity will be reviewed, it references executive orders focused on counterterrorism and antisemitism. Previous guidance from the administration included social media checks for returning students who had participated in protests related to Gaza. Many State Department officials have privately expressed concerns that past guidance, such as vetting students who may have participated in campus protests, has been vague. Officials remain uncertain whether specific online content, such as displaying a Palestinian flag, would trigger further review.

The Trump administration's aggressive stance has raised alarms among international students, particularly those from India, who constitute a significant portion of the foreign student population in the US. The proposed 15% cap on foreign students at institutions like Harvard threatens to limit opportunities for thousands of Indian students aspiring to pursue higher education in the United States.

As the legal battle unfolds, the outcome will have far-reaching implications not only for Harvard and its international students but also for the broader landscape of higher education and immigration policy in the United States.

Thousands of Foreign Students Face Uncertain Future in the U.S.

In April 2025, the Trump administration intensified its immigration crackdown by attempting to revoke student visas, particularly targeting those involved in pro-Palestine protests. Over 4,700 students had their records removed from the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), placing them at risk of deportation. Legal challenges compelled the administration to restore the legal status of many students. However, the administration expanded grounds for future terminations by deeming minor offenses or social media activity as problematic .

On May 29, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the U.S. would begin aggressively revoking visas of Chinese students, especially those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) or studying in critical fields. This move is part of a broader effort to counter alleged espionage activities linked to Chinese nationals in U.S. academic institutions .

The Trump administration's decision to halt visa interviews, impacting aspiring students globally, has sparked widespread criticism. U.S. Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi opposed the administration's move, calling it a "reckless decision" and a "strategic blunder". He emphasized that international students are vital to America's economic strength and national security. "International students help drive cutting-edge research, fuel our universities, and build the industries of tomorrow. These young people are not only scholars and innovators — they are vital to America's economic strength and national security," Krishnamoorthi stated .

The halt on student visa interviews is reported to be temporary, imposed to handle the existing backlog of applications. The pause will remain until existing applications are reviewed, and applicants' background checks, including online activity, are conducted.

Will Donald Trump's Crusade Against Foreign Students Trump the Aspirations of Indian Students?

There are over 1.1 million foreign students in the U.S., with 331,602 being Indian students, making them one of the most affected groups by the Trump administration's ongoing crackdown. In the academic year 2023-2024, foreign students contributed $44 billion to the U.S. economy, with Indian students playing a key role due to their significant numbers and enrollment in high-tuition programs like STEM fields .

The year-on-year increase in Indian student enrollment in the U.S. was recorded at 23.3% in 2023-24, with Indian students comprising around 30% of all foreign students that year. These students predominantly pursued Math and Computer Science (42.9%), Engineering (24.5%), followed by Business and Management (11.2%), Physical and Life Sciences (5.4%), and Health Professions (2.7%).

In the previous year, approximately 196,567 Indian students enrolled in graduate-level programs, 36,053 at the undergraduate level, and 97,556 participated in Optional Practical Training (OPT). The number of non-degree Indian students stood at 1,426, as per the Open Doors report . According to SEVIS data, Indian student numbers saw a sharp decline from 348,446 in July 2024 to 255,447 in August 2024 .

In the academic year 2025, following the introduction of a bill to terminate OPT in the U.S. Congress, there has been a 28% year-on-year drop in Indian student enrollment . Despite this, many Indian students, especially at elite institutions like Harvard, have already completed their visa applications, secured loans, and made financial commitments like tuition deposits. With an indefinite halt on new visa interviews and uncertainty around Harvard’s SEVP status, Indian students face the risk of not being able to enroll on time. This uncertainty and delays in visa processing could compel them to defer admission, seek alternative institutions, or even abandon their U.S. study plans altogether.

Furthermore, the expansion of social media vetting could pose additional hurdles for Indian applicants, as U.S. authorities may scrutinize content they deem anti-U.S. or antisemitic, potentially leading to visa denials. This will particularly affect those who have engaged in antisemitic on-campus activism or expressed such views on social media.

The hostile narrative against foreign students may also exacerbate existing negative stereotypes and racism that Indian students face in the U.S. The Trump administration’s crusade against foreign students is facing significant backlash from international students, educators, immigration advocates, and political leaders. Many argue that under the pretext of ensuring national security, the U.S. government is unfairly targeting foreign students who significantly contribute to the U.S. economy. For Indian students, they are caught in the crosshairs of a broader ideological conflict brewing in the U.S. The Trump administration’s policy shift is exacerbating existing challenges like high tuition costs and complex visa processes while introducing new obstacles to accessing education in the United States.