DHS to subpoena Harvard for foreign students’ info

The Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday said it would formally demand that the nation’s oldest private university hand over documents about alleged misconduct by international students. Officials first requested the materials in April, and Harvard submitted some documents in April and May, but authorities said the information was insufficient. Internal emails, administrative memos, and audio and video recordings of foreign students at protests are among the materials requested by federal authorities.

The request is intended to identify students who have used their visa privileges to advocate for violence and terrorism on campus, said DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. Meanwhile, Harvard has denied claims that it did not turn over records.

What has led to this point? The DHS in May terminated Harvard’s Student Exchange Visitor Program certification for the 2025-2026 school year, and the university promptly sued the government over the move. A district court judge in May granted a temporary restraining order to reinstate the exchange visa program. President Donald Trump in June issued a proclamation suspending entry into the United States for foreigners coming to study at Harvard. In light of the proclamation, the university amended its lawsuit, and the district court judge granted a motion to halt the president’s action while the case moves through the courts. 

Dig deeper: Read my report in The Sift about the lawsuit brought by Harvard.