On Wednesday, the Trump administration issued subpoenas to Harvard University requesting “relevant information” on international students.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in a press release that the administrative subpoenas come after Harvard “repeatedly refused past non-coercive requests to hand over the required information for its Student Visitor and Exchange Program certification.”
“We tried to do things the easy way with Harvard. Now, through their refusal to cooperate, we have to do things the hard way,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.
“Harvard, like other universities, has allowed foreign students to abuse their visa privileges and advocate for violence and terrorism on campus,” she continued. “If Harvard won’t defend the interests of its students, then we will.”
Trump administration has cited the university’s alleged refusal to hand over “information about the criminality and misconduct of foreign students on its campus,” in steps it has taken to penalize the country’s most storied institution.
The Trump administration announced earlier this year that it would end the foreign student visa program for Harvard University.
In the press release, DHS warned other institutions should take note of its latest escalation against Harvard.
“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,” the press release read.
The subpoena marks the latest escalation in the Trump administration’s fight with higher education institutions.
Harvard has sought to push back against the Trump administration’s crackdowns.
