Senator Tom Cotton has taken a strong stance against Harvard University, urging the school to comply with federal regulations or risk losing federal funding. This comes after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the cancellation of $2.7 million in grants to Harvard, stating the university is "unfit to be entrusted with taxpayer dollars."
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem made the announcement on Wednesday, highlighting two specific grants that were terminated. One grant, worth over $800,000, was aimed at violence prevention, while another, exceeding $1.9 million, was intended for public health messaging. Noem criticized Harvard for what she described as anti-American sentiment on campus, particularly in light of recent antisemitic incidents following the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel.
Harvard has been ordered to provide documentation by April 30 to maintain its eligibility for the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, which allows the university to enroll international students. Failure to comply could jeopardize its certification.
In her statement, Noem expressed concern about the university’s ability to manage federal funds responsibly. She noted that with Harvard’s substantial endowment of $53.2 billion, the institution should not rely on taxpayer money if it fails to meet federal standards.
President Donald Trump has also weighed in, criticizing Harvard’s leadership and faculty for what he calls a "woke" agenda. He has previously frozen $2.2 billion in federal funding to the university and requested the IRS review its tax-exempt status.
The scrutiny of Harvard comes amid broader federal efforts to address antisemitism on college campuses. The Department of Education is currently reviewing over $255 million in federal contracts and nearly $9 billion in grants involving Harvard. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon has stated that Harvard’s failure to protect students from discrimination has put its reputation at risk.
As of now, Harvard has not publicly responded to the cancellation of the grants or the demand for records from DHS. The situation continues to develop as federal authorities increase their oversight of universities they believe are not upholding their obligations regarding civil rights and national security.