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Harvard responds to Trump admin pulling millions in grants after refusing to meet demands

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem canceled of 2 grants for the university

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem canceled $2.7 million in DHS grants to Harvard University on Wednesday.

In a statement, Noem announced the cancelation of two grants for the university, and declared the elite Massachusetts Ivy League institution "unfit to be entrusted with taxpayer dollars." 

The university has been ordered to submit records by April 30, or risk losing its certification to enroll international students under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP).

"With anti-American, pro-Hamas ideology poisoning its campus and classrooms, Harvard’s position as a top institution of higher learning is a distant memory," Noem said in the statement. "America demands more from universities entrusted with taxpayer dollars."

A Harvard spokesperson responded Thursday morning, "The government has long exempted universities from taxes in order to support their educational mission. The tax exemption means that more of every dollar can go toward scholarships for students, lifesaving and life-enhancing medical research, and technological advancements that drive economic growth. There is no legal basis to rescind Harvard’s tax-exempt status."

The canceled grants include an $800,303 "Implementation Science for Targeted Violence Prevention" award, which DHS says classified conservatives as far-right extremists, and a $1,934,902 "Blue Campaign Program Evaluation and Violence Advisement" grant, which funded public health messaging that Noem’s office described as ideologically skewed.

The move follows President Donald Trump's decision to freeze $2.2 billion in federal funding to Harvard and ask for the IRS to revoke its tax-exempt status

 

Harvard Yard on the campus of Harvard University
People walk through a gate as they exit Harvard Yard on the campus of Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. (Joseph Prezioso / AFP via Getty Images)

 

The IRS is currently reviewing the university’s 501(c)(3) nonprofit designation, according to sources within the Department of Justice (DOJ). A final decision has not yet been made.

Harvard's statement continued to say that rescinding its tax-exempt status "would endanger our ability to carry out our educational mission. It would result in diminished financial aid for students, abandonment of critical medical research programs, and lost opportunities for innovation. The unlawful use of this instrument more broadly would have grave consequences for the future of higher education in America."

In a social media post, Trump criticized Harvard’s leadership and faculty, writing, "Harvard has been hiring almost all woke, Radical Left, idiots and ‘birdbrains’ who are only capable of teaching FAILURE to students and so-called ‘future leaders.’" He continued, "Harvard is a JOKE, teaches Hate and Stupidity, and should no longer receive Federal Funds."

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The DHS action comes amid a broader federal crackdown on campus antisemitism following the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. 

In the months since, Harvard has faced criticism over antisemitic rhetoric and protests involving students and faculty. Noem’s letter references "foreign visa-holding rioters" and calls for Harvard to provide documentation of their conduct.

 

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem listens as President Donald J Trump speaks
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem listens as President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office at the White House, April 9, in Washington, D.C. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

 

With a $53.2 billion endowment, Harvard is one of the wealthiest institutions in the world. DHS emphasized that the university can afford to fund its own programs and should not rely on taxpayer money if it is not meeting federal standards for student conduct and institutional accountability.

The Department of Education is also scrutinizing the university. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon recently launched a review of more than $255.6 million in federal contracts and nearly $9 billion in grants involving Harvard and its affiliates.

 

Kristi Noem, secretary of the US Department of Homeland Security
Kristi Noem, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. (Ken Cedeno/UPI/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

 

"Harvard’s failure to protect students on campus from anti-Semitic discrimination — all while promoting divisive ideologies over free inquiry — has put its reputation in serious jeopardy," McMahon said.

This move comes shortly after similar action was taken against Columbia University, as the federal government steps up enforcement on institutions it says are failing to meet civil rights and national security obligations.

Noem's office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Fox News' Andrea Margolis and Alexis McAdams contributed to this report.

Jasmine is a writer at Fox News Digital and a military spouse based in New Orleans. Stories can be sent to jasmine.baehr@fox.com

Author: Jasmine Baehr

Source: Fox News:

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