Overview

• On July 9, the Department of Homeland Security issued administrative subpoenas demanding Harvard’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program records dating back to January 1, 2020.
• DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin accused the university of allowing foreign students to abuse visa privileges and advocate campus violence and terrorism.
• The Departments of Education and Health and Human Services formally notified Harvard’s accreditor of Title VI violations, citing the university’s failure to protect Jewish students during pro-Palestinian protests.
• Harvard has called the subpoenas unwarranted but said it will comply with lawful requests while its lawsuits and court-issued injunctions continue to block visa revocation and funding cuts.
• The actions represent the latest escalation in a broader months-long campaign by the Trump administration to increase federal oversight of university governance, visa programs and campus bias policies.