The Trump administration is also attempting to deport some foreign protesters and has revoked hundreds of visas across the country.
“With a US$53.2 billion endowment, Harvard can fund its own chaos – DHS won’t,” Noem said, adding an “anti-American, pro-Hamas ideology” existed at Harvard.
Harvard has previously said it worked to fight antisemitism and other prejudice on its campus while preserving academic freedoms and the right to protest.
TRUMP’S CRACKDOWN
The Trump administration said late last month it was reviewing US$9 billion in federal contracts and grants to Harvard and later called for restrictions – including a mask ban and removal of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programmes – to be put in place for the university to continue receiving federal money.
Harvard on Monday rejected numerous demands that it said would cede control to the government. The Trump administration subsequently said it was freezing US$2.3 billion in funding.
Trump also threatened on Tuesday to strip Harvard of its tax-exempt status. CNN reported on Wednesday that the US Internal Revenue Service was making plans to rescind the tax-exempt status of Harvard and that a final decision was expected soon.
Harvard said there was no legal basis to rescind its tax-exempt status, saying such an action would be unprecedented, would diminish its financial aid for students and would lead to abandonment of some critical medical research programs.
Human rights advocates have raised free speech and academic freedom concerns over the crackdown by the government.
The Trump administration has frozen or cancelled some funding for universities like Columbia, Princeton, Brown, Cornell and Northwestern as well.
It has also threatened to withhold funding over culture war issues such as DEI programmes and transgender policies.
Rights advocates have also raised concerns about Islamophobia and anti-Arab bias during the Israel-Gaza war. The Trump administration has not announced steps in response.
