State Department now probing all visa holders at Harvard
By Josh Christenson
WASHINGTON — The State Department is broadening its review of visa holders at Harvard University beyond the foreign student population, a senior official told The Post on Thursday.
The comprehensive investigation will consider F-1 visas for foreign students, B-1 visas for business-related visitors and B-2 visas for tourism, the State Department official confirmed.
The probe will focus on possible threats to US national security policy or other abuses of the visa system.
President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio (L) attend a cabinet meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House on April 10, 2025, in Washington, DC.
3
President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio (L) attend a cabinet meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House on April 10, 2025, in Washington, DC.
AFP via Getty Images
The department’s wider review was first reported by Fox News after Secretary of State Marco Rubio had announced visa revocations for foreign officials or persons censoring Americans and some Chinese students.
Continue watching
This Day in History
after the ad
The roughly 7,000 international Harvard undergrads were already under the microscope due to what the State Department viewed as “pro-terrorist conduct” amid campus protests opposing Israel’s war in Gaza.
Explore More
Burger King employee who worked last-minute shift in graduation clothes after his high school ceremony gets $22K in donations
Federal appeals court slams brakes on sweeping order that blocked most of Trump tariffs
Tragic NYC newborn's family says they know how she died, puppy was 'put down' — after ME confirms pit bull didn't kill her
Foreign students hoping to enroll in the Ivy League institution already had their visa status threatened by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem — before the courts stepped in.
Graduation students, faculty, and family gather in Harvard Yard on May 28, 2025 in Cambridge, Massachusetts
3
Graduation students, faculty, and family gather in Harvard Yard on May 28, 2025 in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Getty Images
Immigration and Customs Enforcement acting director Todd Lyons doubled down ahead of a hearing in Boston federal court Thursday by firing off a letter to Harvard issuing a formal notice that the Department of Homeland Security would withdraw certification for the Student Exchange Visa Program (SEVP).
An earlier letter from Noem cited Harvard leaders’ “brazen refusal” to provide DHS with information about foreign students and said they fostered “an unsafe campus environment that is hostile to Jewish students, promotes pro-Hamas rhetoric, and employs racist ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ policies.”
Last week, a Harvard spokesperson declared the move “unlawful” and said administrators were “fully committed to maintaining Harvard’s ability to host our international students and scholars.”
Harvard graduate pose for photos after their ceremony.
3
Harvard graduate pose for photos after their ceremony.
Getty Images
Usually students must declare exclusive intent to attend Harvard by May 1, but the school has made exceptions for international students, allowing them to accept admission to a foreign university in addition to Harvard for the 2025-26 school year.
The Cambridge, Massachusetts, school had subsequently indicated a willingness to comply with some demands from the Trump administration — but Noem said “it must change its ways to be eligible” for the program.
“Harvard’s refusal to comply with SEVP oversight was the latest evidence that it disdains the American people and takes for granted U.S. taxpayer benefits,” she said in a statement Thursday.
The DHS honcho had previously threatened to pull Harvard’s visa certification due to antisemitic demonstrations that have roiled the campus in recent years — as well as research collaborations with Chinese state-linked entities.
Boston US District Judge Allison Burroughs will rule later Thursday on whether Harvard can allow foreign students to begin enrolling for next semester.
The Trump administration has also canceled more than $3 billion in federal grants and other funding to the Ivy League institution, resulting in another legal challenge.
Rubio has already revoked at least 4,000 visas from foreign nationals charged with criminal offenses, a senior State Department official confirmed last month.
“We’re going to continue to revoke the visas of people who are here as guests and are disrupting our higher education facilities,” the secretary affirmed Tuesday. “A visa is a privilege, not a right.”
The Post reached out to Harvard University reps for comment.
Welcome to Billionaire Club Co LLC, your gateway to a brand-new social media experience! Sign up today and dive into over 10,000 fresh daily articles and videos curated just for your enjoyment. Enjoy the ad free experience, unlimited content interactions, and get that coveted blue check verification—all for just $1 a month!
Account Frozen
Your account is frozen. You can still view content but cannot interact with it.
Please go to your settings to update your account status.
Open Profile Settings