State Department opens investigation into Harvard’s Exchange Visa Program compliance

WASHINGTON

The Trump administration has launched an investigation into Harvard University’s continued eligibility as a sponsor of the Exchange Visitor Program, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Wednesday

“All sponsors participating in this program are required to fully comply with exchange visitor regulations, transparency in reporting, and a demonstrated commitment to fostering the principles of cultural exchange and mutual understanding upon which the program was founded,” Rubio said in a statement.

“To maintain their privilege to sponsor exchange visitors, sponsors must comply with all regulations, including conducting their programs in a manner that does not undermine the foreign policy objectives or compromise the national security interests of the United States,” he added.

Rubio informed Harvard President Alan Garber of the inquiry in a letter Wednesday, stating the investigation aims “to assist the department in meeting its policy objectives,” the New York Times reported, which reviewed a copy of the correspondence.

Rubio reportedly gave Harvard one week to produce records related to its visa program and said the agency may interview university personnel and visa holders.

The probe targets Harvard’s participation in the Exchange Visitor Program, which provides J-1 visas to students, researchers, professors, interns and others engaged in educational and cultural exchange.

“The American people have the right to expect their universities to uphold national security, comply with the law, and provide safe environments for all students,” Rubio said in the statement. “The investigation will ensure that State Department programs do not run contrary to our nation’s interests.”

Harvard did not immediately comment on the investigation.

The move comes amid a broader crackdown on international students and universities under the Trump administration.

The administration previously revoked Harvard's Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification in May and concluded through the Justice Department that the school violated federal civil rights laws by failing to address harassment against Jewish and Israeli students during protests against Israel’s brutal war against the Gaza Strip, which has killed more than 59,200 Palestinians since October 2023