State Department says it will investigate Harvard over participation in visa program

The State Department said Wednesday it's investigating whether Harvard University has fulfilled all the conditions required to participate in a government program that provides American visas for students and researchers from other countries. The review is the latest in series of Trump administration inquiries targeting the Ivy League school.

Harvard has faced mounting sanctions and scrutiny from Washington since rejecting demands from a federal antisemitism task force in April. Harvard has filed a lawsuit challenging $2.6 billion in federal cuts and has accused the Republican administration of waging a retaliation campaign.

The statement from Secretary of State Marco Rubio did not say why his department was examining Harvard’s eligibility to take part in the Exchange Visitor Program, which allows foreign nationals to study or work in the United States through cultural and education exchange programs.

It said all sponsors, such as Harvard, “are required to fully comply with exchange visitor regulations, transparency in reporting, and a demonstrated commitment to fostering the principles of cultural exchange and mutual understanding upon which the program was founded.”

A Harvard spokesperson called the announcement "yet another retaliatory step taken by the Administration in violation of Harvard’s First Amendment rights."

"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," the spokesperson said in a statement.

The department said the investigation will seek to ensure that its programs "do not run contrary to our nation’s interests.”

The administration also has tried several times to prevent the school in Cambridge, Massachusetts, from hosting foreign students, and President Donald Trump has threatened to revoke Harvard’s tax-exempt status.

Last month, his administration issued a finding that Harvard tolerated antisemitism, a step that could jeopardize all of Harvard’s federal funding, including student loans or grants. The penalty is typically referred to as a “death sentence.”

Harvard's president, Alan Garber, has said the university has made changes to combat antisemitism and will not submit to the administration’s demands.