State Department reviewing all Harvard-affiliated visa holders, officials say

The US State Department is reviewing all Harvard University-affiliated visa holders, not just students, three senior State Department officials told CNN Wednesday.

The US State Department is reviewing all Harvard University-affiliated visa holders, not just students, three senior State Department officials told CNN Wednesday. The move is a notable escalation of the Trump administration’s feud with the Ivy League university. The administration previously moved to revoke Harvard’s ability to enroll international students, but the attempt has been halted by a federal judge. Harvard argued revocation of its certification in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program was “clear retaliation” for its refusal of the government’s ideologically rooted policy demands. The administration on Tuesday directed federal agencies to cancel all remaining federal contracts with the university – totaling about $100 million in all. The officials did not say why the review – which was first reported by Fox News – was being conducted. CNN reached out to Harvard late Wednesday night for comment on the review. The State Department has previously said that security vetting for visas “runs from the time of each application, through adjudication of the visa, and afterwards during the validity period of every visa issued.”