Trump Admin Launches Probe Into Harvard’s Foreign Visa Practices

Ivy League school is facing a litany of federal investigations on issues ranging from anti-Semitism to discriminatory hiring practices

The Trump administration opened another investigation into Harvard University, this time over the Ivy League school’s compliance with a government-run visa program for international students and professors.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio notified Harvard president Alan Garber on Wednesday that the State Department launched the investigation. He demanded comprehensive university records related to the Exchange Visitor Program, a department initiative designed to promote educational and cultural exchanges between the United States and other nations.

“To maintain their privilege to sponsor exchange visitors, sponsors must comply with all regulations, including conducting their programs in a manner that does not undermine the foreign policy objectives or compromise the national security interests of the United States,” Rubio said in a statement.

“The American people have the right to expect their universities to uphold national security, comply with the law, and provide safe environments for all students,” he added. “The investigation will ensure that State Department programs do not run contrary to our nation’s interests.”

In a letter cited by the New York Times, Rubio gave Harvard a week to submit the documents and said the State Department will interview university staff involved in the Exchange Visitor Program and potentially visa holders, as well. Rubio noted that the inquiry was necessary “to assist the department in meeting its policy objectives.”

The latest investigation keeps pressure on Harvard as it aims to negotiate a potential deal with the Trump administration to restore nearly $3 billion in federal funding.

The university is facing a bevy of additional probes and scrutiny by the Trump administration as part of its effort to force the school to rein in campus anti-Semitism. The Department of Homeland Security is already attempting to revoke Harvard’s ability to host foreign students, though that effort is tangled up in court.

Harvard is also facing investigations from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission regarding whether the Ivy League school hires faculty based on race and sex, as well as from the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services over the use of racial preferences at Harvard Law Review.

Earlier this month, the Trump administration informed Harvard’s accreditor that the Ivy League school failed to protect Jewish students, a violation of civil rights laws, putting its accreditation status at risk. Without accreditation, colleges and universities are not eligible for federal financial aid, including student loans, and employers are less likely to see a degree from an unaccredited institution as legitimate.

“This investigation is yet another retaliatory step taken by the Administration in violation of Harvard’s First Amendment rights,” a spokeswoman told the Washington Free Beacon. “Harvard continues to enroll and sponsor international scholars, researchers, and students, and will protect its international community and support them as they apply for U.S. visas and travel to campus this fall. The University is committed to continuing to comply with the applicable Exchange Visitor Program regulations.”