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The United States State Department launched an investigation on Wednesday into Harvard’s compliance with the Exchange Visitor Program, which allows universities to sponsor short-term J-1 visas for international instructors, researchers, and certain students.
The investigation is the Trump administration’s latest attempt to wield Harvard’s international students and employees as leverage against the University. The administration has previously targeted Harvard’s participation in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, a separate office that manages international student records and is overseen by the Department of Homeland Security.
In a press release announcing the investigation, the State Department did not allege specific misconduct but wrote that the inquiry aims to ensure that programs “do not run contrary to our nation’s interests.” The statement also reaffirmed that all sponsors must fully comply with visa regulations and uphold U.S. foreign policy and national security goals.
The Trump administration has designated combating antisemitism a foreign policy aim, and State Department officials have maintained that statements as broad as calls to cut off military aid to Israel could be grounds for revoking a noncitizen’s visa. The federal government has also suggested that Harvard’s ties to China could be a national security threat.
Harvard has been given one week to produce a broad set of records related to its visa sponsorships, and federal officials may also seek interviews with staff and current visa holders, according to the New York Times, which first reported the investigation. The Times also reported that Secretary of State Marco Rubio sent a letter to Harvard President Alan M. Garber ’76 on Wednesday morning, formally notifying him of the probe.
“Visa sponsorship is a privilege, and sponsors whose conduct tarnishes our nation’s interests will lose that privilege,” Rubio wrote in a statement on X.
It is unclear what specific records the Department of State has requested Harvard submit as part of its investigation. A spokesperson declined to elaborate on the contents of the letter, the reasons for the investigation, or the records Harvard will be expected to turn over.
Harvard spokesperson Jason A. Newton slammed the investigation as “retaliatory” and a violation of the University’s First Amendment rights.
“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,” he wrote.
Though the investigation was made public only on Wednesday, J-1 visa holders have encountered obstacles for weeks, as have international students on F-1 visas. Earlier in June, at least two incoming scholars were turned away upon arriving in the Boston airport because of the White House’s earlier attacks on Harvard’s international students, though the University reported they later were expected to gain entry to the U.S.
The Wednesday probe is yet another escalation in the Trump administration’s ongoing pressure campaign into Harvard, which has continued to ramp up even as the two parties pursue negotiations in Washington.
Two weeks ago, the administration threatened Harvard’s accreditation status and subpoenaed the University for records related to alleged misconduct by international students.
Harvard was given one week to comply with the extensive request, which was served by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and asked for details on international students’ post-graduation employment through Optional Practical Training and any videos of international students protesting on campus since 2020.
A Harvard spokesperson declined to confirm what information the University submitted but directed The Crimson to an online message promising compliance with legal requirements. The message told international students that Harvard would notify them directly “if the University determines we must provide such records that pertain to you.”
The EVP and the SEVP together form the backbone of the United States’ academic visa system. While EVP centers on cultural and scholarly exchange through J-1 visas, SEVP governs academic and vocational study for students F-1 and M-1 visas — and both are now active fronts in the White House’s campaign against Harvard. (Harvard does not host students on M-1 visas.)
The SEVP has been a central tool in the Trump administration’s broader crackdown on Harvard. In late April, the DHS first warned the University that it could revoke its SEVP certification unless Harvard produced internal emails, administrative memos, and records of international students participating in protests.
When Harvard submitted a partial set of records in response, the DHS said the reply was incomplete and continued to demand documentation on students’ protest participation. It remains unclear what exactly was turned over in Harvard’s earlier response, and it is also unclear whether the request for documents as part of ICE’s probe overlaps with the new State Department investigation.
In late May, the Department of Homeland Security followed through on its threat to revoke Harvard’s SEVP certification. Less than two weeks later, Trump signed an executive order restricting entry to the U.S. for students planning to attend the University. A judge has blocked both efforts and granted preliminary relief.
The outcome of a second attempt to revoke Harvard’s SEVP certification remains uncertain, though a deadline allowing the DHS to do so lifted last month.
The government’s clash with Harvard has already cost the University more than $2 billion in federal research funds, which it is currently trying to claw back through a lawsuit. Congress and executive agencies have collectively launched more than a dozen investigations into Harvard’s hiring and admissions policies, its ties to foreign governments, and antisemitism on campus.
Rubio has been personally involved in the government’s campaign against Harvard before. In June, Rubio urged the Treasury Department to open an investigation into whether Harvard violated sanctions laws by hosting a conference with blacklisted Chinese officials. Just weeks before, he announced a pilot program screening social media accounts of Harvard visa applicants for antisemitic conduct.
The State Department’s investigation is a sign that setbacks in court have not caused the Trump administration to shift course as it has instead doubled down on its campaign to scrutinize and penalize Harvard through other federal channels.
On Monday, two days earlier, a federal judge heard arguments in Harvard’s lawsuit over the funding freeze and appeared deeply skeptical of the Trump administration’s stated rationale for cutting off federal grants and contracts. She has not yet issued a decision.
—Staff writers Samuel A. Church and Cam N. Srivastava contributed reporting.
—Staff writer Dhruv T. Patel can be reached at dhruv.patel@thecrimson.com. Follow him on X @dhruvtkpatel.
—Staff writer Grace E. Yoon can be reached at grace.yoon@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X @graceunkyoon.
