The Trump administration is opening an investigation into Harvard University’s “continued eligibility as a sponsor for the Exchange Visitor Program,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Wednesday, marking the administration’s latest escalation against the Ivy League institution.
It was announced amid ongoing legal challenges against the government’s attempts to block the university’s ability to host international students.
“The investigation will ensure that State Department programs do not run contrary to our nation’s interests,” the top US diplomat said in a statement without offering further details about the investigation.
The Trump administration first revoked Harvard’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program status in May but the decision was blocked by federal judge Allison Burroughs.
“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 Wednesday’s statement.
The administration has previously cited antisemitism on campus as a reason for putting the school’s international student program in jeopardy, along with the claim that Harvard did not provide the government with required information about its international students.
Credit: cnn.com
