Trump Administration Targets Harvard with Subpoenas, Demands Information on International Students

The Trump administration has intensified its ongoing dispute with Harvard University. On July 9, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced plans to issue subpoenas to Harvard, seeking information about alleged misconduct by international students. This move comes as part of a broader campaign by the administration to hold elite universities accountable, claiming they foster "leftist thought" and fail to address antisemitism on campus.

The DHS subpoenas focus on Harvard’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), which allows the university to enroll international students. According to the administration, Harvard has repeatedly refused to provide detailed records about foreign students’ actions, prompting the escalation.  

We Tried The Easy Way, Now We Have To Do Things The Hard Way, Says DHS

Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated, “We tried to do things the easy way with Harvard. Now, through their refusal to cooperate, we have to do things the hard way.”

The administration alleges that Harvard’s lack of transparency raises concerns about whether foreign students are abusing their visa privileges, potentially engaging in activities like advocating for violence or terrorism. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem had previously requested this information in April 2025, warning that non-compliance could lead to the revocation of Harvard’s SEVP certification. Harvard’s response was deemed “insufficient, incomplete, and unacceptable” by Noem, leading to the current subpoena action.

Harvard enrolls over 7,000 international students from more than 100 countries. 

Antisemitism Allegations Threaten Accreditation

In a parallel development, the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services (HHS) have notified Harvard’s accreditor that the university violated federal civil rights law by failing to adequately address harassment of Jewish students.

This finding stems from a federal investigation that concluded Harvard was “deliberately indifferent” and, in some cases, a “willful participant” in antisemitic harassment.

The investigation, conducted by the HHS Office for Civil Rights, documented incidents where Jewish and Israeli students faced assaults, were spat upon, and encountered antisemitic imagery, such as a dollar sign inside a Star of David and an Israeli flag defaced with a swastika. The report criticized Harvard’s handling of pro-Palestine protests.

If Harvard fails to implement corrective measures, it risks losing its accreditation, which would make its students ineligible for federal financial aid. This could have devastating consequences for the university, which relies on federal funding for research and student support. The administration has already frozen over $2.6 billion in federal grants and contracts to Harvard, citing its failure to combat antisemitism and comply with federal demands.