The Department of Homeland Security said Wednesday it will intensify its ongoing investigation into Harvard University by issuing additional subpoenas related to the Student and Exchange Visitor Program.
The subpoenas come after months of escalation between Harvard and the Trump administration. Despite having multiple deadlines to hand over the necessary documents, the university has continued not to comply, the Trump administration claims.
“We tried to do things the easy way with Harvard. Now, through their refusal to cooperate, we have to do things the hard way,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.
Additionally, the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services notified the university’s accreditor that Harvard is in violation of federal anti-discrimination laws, which could potentially put their accreditation at risk.
“By allowing antisemitic harassment and discrimination to persist unchecked on its campus, Harvard University has failed in its obligation to students, educators, and American taxpayers,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon.
She added that “the Department of Education expects the New England Commission of Higher Education to enforce its policies and practices, and to keep the Department fully informed of its efforts to ensure that Harvard is in compliance with federal law and accreditor standards.
Federal officials have also raised concerns about campus safety and immigration compliance.
“Harvard, like other universities, has allowed foreign students to abuse their visa privileges and advocate for violence and terrorism on campus,” McLaughlin said.
Government agencies also say that their involvement will not end with subpoenas or accreditation reviews.
“When an institution – no matter how prestigious – abandons its mission and fails to protect its students, it forfeits the legitimacy that accreditation is designed to uphold,” said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
Kennedy also noted that the “HHS and the Department of Education will actively hold Harvard accountable through sustained oversight until it restores public trust and ensures a campus free of discrimination.”
