The Trump administration has escalated its conflict with Harvard University, announcing on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, that it will issue administrative subpoenas to obtain detailed information on the school’s foreign students. The move intensifies an ongoing federal inquiry into Harvard’s compliance with the Student Visitor and Exchange Program, which authorizes U.S. institutions to enroll international students.
According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the subpoenas seek additional documentation related to concerns over foreign student activities and alleged violations of visa terms. The department previously requested such information in April, citing purported “illegal and violent” behavior by certain visa holders. While Harvard did submit records, DHS deemed the material “insufficient” and temporarily revoked the university’s ability to admit international students.
Harvard responded by filing a lawsuit, prompting a federal judge in Boston to block the administration’s efforts to strip the university of its foreign student enrollment privileges.
Announcing the subpoenas, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem accused Harvard and other unnamed institutions of failing to prevent “foreign students [from] abus[ing] their visa privileges and advocat[ing] for violence and terrorism on campus.”
“If Harvard won’t defend the interests of its students, then we will,” Noem posted on X (formerly Twitter).
“We tried to do things the easy way with Harvard. Now, through their refusal to cooperate, we have to do things the hard way.”
DHS also issued a warning to other universities facing similar requests, urging them to consider “the repercussions” of Harvard’s alleged noncompliance when determining their own responses.
In a formal statement, Harvard defended its actions and denounced the administration’s conduct:
“We are committed to following the law, and while the government’s subpoenas are unwarranted, the university will continue to cooperate with lawful requests and obligations,” the university stated.
“Harvard remains unwavering in its efforts to protect its community and its core principles against unfounded retribution by the federal government.”
The administration’s actions have not been limited to the Department of Homeland Security. On Wednesday, the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services jointly informed the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) that Harvard may be in violation of federal anti-discrimination statutes, threatening its accreditation.
The Department of Education has alleged that Harvard failed to adequately respond to reports of antisemitic harassment on campus—accusations that could jeopardize the university’s compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.
“By allowing antisemitic harassment and discrimination to persist unchecked on its campus, Harvard University has failed in its obligation to students, educators, and American taxpayers,” said Education Secretary Linda McMahon.
“The Department of Education expects [NECHE] to enforce its policies and to keep the Department fully informed of efforts to ensure Harvard is in compliance with federal law and accreditor standards.”
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. added that the university had “forfeited the legitimacy that accreditation is designed to uphold.”
Since President Trump’s return to office in January, his administration has targeted Harvard on multiple fronts, freezing billions in federal contracts and grants, launching investigations, and threatening to revoke the university’s tax-exempt status. Officials claim these measures are a response to the school’s alleged failure to protect Jewish students and its perceived tolerance of antisemitic rhetoric.
Harvard has also filed a separate lawsuit challenging the administration’s effort to strip it of federal funding. A hearing on that case is scheduled for July 21.
Despite the confrontational tone, President Trump hinted last month that a resolution may still be possible.
“Harvard’s been very bad. Totally antisemitic,” he said during a media briefing.
However, he added that his administration is “working with Harvard” and an agreement is “absolutely” within reach.
The clash between Harvard and the White House underscores growing tensions between elite academic institutions and federal authorities, particularly on matters related to immigration, civil rights, and campus speech.
