Harvard under investigation over participation in visa program for
foreign students and researchers
[July 24, 2025]
By MICHAEL CASEY
BOSTON (AP) — In the latest in series of Trump administration inquiries
targeting Harvard University, the State Department said Wednesday it is
investigating whether the Ivy League school will remain part of a
government program that provides American visas for students and
researchers from other countries.
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.”
Harvard spokesperson Jason Newton said the investigation was "another
retaliatory step" taken by the administration.
"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,” Newton said in a statement. He said the school is committed to
complying with the program's rules.
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People walk between buildings on Harvard University campus, Dec. 17,
2024, in Cambridge, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)
Brett Bruen, a former director of global engagement under Democratic
President Barack Obama, said there is no justification for the
administration's action.
“It not only damages Harvard, but American higher education &
industry that depend on the best & brightest wanting to come here,”
Bruen said in a post on X.
The State 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.
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