Trump Administration Demands Extensive Data on Harvard International Students

The Trump administration has escalated a confrontation with Harvard University by demanding extensive data on international students, including coursework and records of any visa holders involved in misconduct. This move follows accusations by the Department of Homeland Security that Harvard fosters an unsafe campus environment and coordinates with foreign adversaries, claims the university disputes. After Harvard resisted parts of the data request, the administration barred the university from enrolling new international students, who make up about a quarter of its student body. President Donald Trump publicly called for the names and countries of these students, questioning why their home countries do not contribute financially to their education despite Harvard receiving billions in federal funding. The administration has also frozen nearly $3 billion in federal grants to Harvard and is seeking to revoke its tax-exempt status, framing the conflict as part of a broader effort to challenge perceived left-wing ideology and pro-Palestinian activism on campuses. Harvard has legally challenged the administration’s actions, resulting in a federal judge temporarily blocking the enrollment ban.