The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has mandated that Harvard University hand over records relating to the activities of its international student visa holders, citing potential “violent activities.” The directive, led by DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, stipulates that Harvard must comply by April 30 or face losing its certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). This certification is essential for the university to admit international students. The DHS also canceled $2.7 million in grant funding, accusing Harvard of being “unfit to be entrusted with taxpayer dollars” due to the alleged harboring of antisemitic sentiments since the October 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas.
The DHS’s demands came shortly after Harvard articulated its commitment to maintaining its independence and constitutional rights, expressly rejecting federal demands for oversight of academic programs and internal governance. The situation intensifies as the Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism put a hold on $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in contracts to Harvard.
This action against Harvard is part of a broader initiative by the Trump administration to address antisemitism. The US Department of Justice also initiated an investigation into the University of California in March, seeking to uncover potential patterns of antisemitic discrimination. The federal pressure mirrors previous concessions by other universities, such as Columbia, which complied with requests to surveille its Middle East studies program to avoid losing federal funding.