The College Fix

Homeland Security says institution must turn over records on ‘foreign student visa holders’ illegal and violent activities’

Amid mounting tensions, the Department of Homeland Security issued a harsh warning to Harvard University on Wednesday that threatened its ability to enroll international students due to its alleged inactions on “antisemitism.”

In a letter, Department Secretary Kristi Noem said Harvard must provide the federal government with “detailed records” about international students’ “illegal and violent activities” by April 30.

Failure to do so will mean Harvard’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification will be revoked, Noem said.

“Harvard bending the knee to antisemitism — driven by its spineless leadership — fuels a cesspool of extremist riots and threatens our national security,” Noem stated in a news release. “… America demands more from universities entrusted with taxpayer dollars.”

The department also canceled $2.7 million in grants to the university, The Harvard Crimson reports:

One of the canceled grants is the $1.9 million Blue Campaign Program Evaluation and Violence Advisement grant, which supported research on mass violence and human trafficking prevention efforts. The DHS wrote in the press release that the grant “funded Harvard’s public health propaganda.”

The other canceled grant is the $800,000 Implementation Science for Targeted Violence Prevention, which the DHS alleged “branded conservatives as far-right dissidents in a shockingly skewed study.”

Harvard spokesperson Sarah E. Kennedy O’Reilly wrote in a statement that Harvard is “aware” of the letter, but stands by its assertion on Monday that the University “will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights.”

“If federal action is taken against a member of our community, we expect it will be based on clear evidence, follow established legal procedures, and respect the constitutional rights afforded to all individuals,” Kennedy O’Reilly wrote.

The announcement came just a few days after the Trump administration froze $2.2 billion in funding to the Ivy League university for refusing its demands to address antisemitism, The College Fix reported.

President Donald Trump also suggested the possibility of revoking the university’s tax exempt status in a post Tuesday on the social media platform Truth Social.

However, these actions have been met with mixed reactions, even among conservative scholars.

Jonathan Turley, a law professor at George Washington University, believes there are better ways to enact reform.

“Most importantly, tax exemption should not be a status bestowed upon those adhering to the demands of whatever party is in power. Free speech and associational rights are fostered by granting this status,” he wrote Thursday on his blog.

Meanwhile, Cornell University law Professor William Jacobson told Fox News that accepting tax dollars comes with obligations.

“When you take federal money as a university, you are obligated to comply with the civil rights laws,” Jacobson said. “You don’t have a choice. It’s not a question of free speech, it’s a question of complying with the law.”

MORE: Trump admin freezes $2.2 billion to Harvard after school resists demands

IMAGE CAPTION AND CREDIT: A gate opens onto the Harvard University campus. Jan Yuan/Shutterstock

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