Washington DC - The Donald Trump administration is subpoenaing Harvard University for information on international students amid its escalating crackdown on Palestine solidarity activism.
The Trump administration has sent administration subpoenas to Harvard University regarding its Student Visitor and Exchange Program. © Rick Friedman / AFP
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the administrative subpoenas on Wednesday, accusing Harvard of failing to hand over information on its Student Visitor and Exchange Program and on the alleged "criminality and misconduct of foreign students on its campus."
"We tried to do things the easy way with Harvard. Now, through their refusal to cooperate, we have to do things the hard way," Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a press release.
"Harvard, like other universities, has allowed foreign students to abuse their visa privileges and advocate for violence and terrorism on campus. If Harvard won’t defend the interests of its students, then we will."
The subpoenas are the latest move by the Trump administration to suppress what it describes as antisemitism at Harvard. They call on the university to turn over "relevant records, communications, and other documents relevant to the enforcement of immigration laws since January 1, 2020."
The Ivy League campus has been part of the nationwide student movement for Palestinian human rights and an end to US support for Israel's atrocities in Gaza.
The administration has retaliated by freezing more than $3 billion in grants and contracts to Harvard and seeking to bar international student visas. The latter move has been caught up court.
"Other universities and academic institutions that are asked to submit similar information should take note of Harvard's actions, and the repercussions, when considering whether or not to comply with similar requests," DHS warned.
