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State Department puts all visas associated with Harvard under scrutiny

Secretary of State Marco Rubio will conduct an investigation into several types of visas, including the B-1 business and B-2 tourist visas.

The State Department's main building, located in Washington, D.C.

The State Department's main building, located in Washington, D.C.Cordon Press

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Conservative network Fox News reported on Wednesday that senior U.S. State Department officials revealed that every single visa holder associated with Harvard University, not just students on student visas, are currently undergoing rigorous scrutiny. Officials also told the media outlet that, in addition to student visas, the department led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio will conduct an investigation into several types of visas, including the B-1 business and B-2 tourist visas. When asked about the motives behind these actions, the officials told Fox News that the reason behind the investigation is to identify possible security vulnerabilities and abuses of the visa system.

According to the report, this investigation could severely affect hundreds of people that are currently associated with Harvard and could even reveal whether those who got in after claiming to have real ties to the university really have them or if they only have irrelevant connections. According to the conservative network, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is currently eliminating the student visa program at the prestigious academic institution due to the "pro-terrorist conduct" that have been shown in the numerous university protests that have been shaken the country since late 2023.

Letter from Noem

In light of the actions taken against Harvard, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem sent a letter to the academic institution's director of immigration services, Maureen Martin, in which she claimed that the actions were taken in response to Harvard's refusal to comply with requests issued by the Donald Trump administration on the behavior of student visa holders.

"This administration is holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus. It is a privilege, not a right, for universities to enroll foreign students and benefit from their higher tuition payments to help pad their multibillion-dollar endowments. Harvard had plenty of opportunity to do the right thing. It refused. They have lost their Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification as a result of their failure to adhere to the law. Let this serve as a warning to all universities and academic institutions across the country," Noem wrote in the letter.

Trump vs. Harvard

Since the beginning of his second presidency, Trump has had numerous episodes of friction with Harvard, to the point of taking several actions against the university. So far, the Republican administration has frozen nearly $3 billion in federal funds directed to the academic institution, mostly destined for research. Similarly, the U.S. president has launched investigations from the Departments of Education, Justice and Health and Human Services.
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