Particle.news
Download on the App Store
29 ARTICLES
·
yesterday

State Department Opens Probe of Harvard’s Exchange Visitor Program Eligibility

The State Department will evaluate whether Harvard’s J-1 visa sponsorship aligns with U.S. foreign policy obligations or compromises national security under a seven-day document submission requirement.

FILE - People walk between buildings on Harvard University campus, Dec. 17, 2024, in Cambridge, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)
Demonstrators with signs stand around the John Harvard Statue in Harvard Yard after a rally was held against President Donald Trump's attacks on Harvard University at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts on April 17, 2025.
Image
Image

Overview

  • Secretary of State Marco Rubio launched the investigation to determine if Harvard has fully complied with Exchange Visitor Program regulations designed to uphold U.S. interests.
  • Harvard has been given one week to hand over records related to its J-1 visa sponsorship and may face interviews of program staff and visa holders.
  • The probe follows earlier Trump administration moves that froze over $2 billion in research grants, threatened accreditation and attempted to block international student visas, all blocked by Judge Allison Burroughs.
  • A Harvard spokesperson labeled the inquiry a retaliatory violation of its First Amendment rights while confirming the university’s commitment to Exchange Visitor Program compliance.
  • The investigation threatens Harvard’s ability to sponsor more than a quarter of its student body on J-1 visas and deepens ongoing legal battles over federal restrictions on campus free speech and diversity policies.