The United States government has issued a subpoena to Harvard University, demanding records related to students allegedly involved in pro-Palestinian demonstrations, which the Trump administration has branded as anti-Semitic.

Since retaking office in January, President Donald Trump has launched an aggressive campaign targeting elite universities, accusing them of promoting "woke" politics and failing to protect Jewish students.

Harvard has been at the center of this push, with the administration cutting its federal funding, questioning its admissions practices, and challenging its ability to host international students.

In a statement released Wednesday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced it had resorted to subpoenas after Harvard repeatedly failed to comply with prior requests for information.

The documents sought include records, communications, and materials related to foreign students from January 1, 2020, onward, reportedly to aid in the enforcement of immigration laws.

Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary at DHS, claimed Harvard had allowed international students to misuse their visas and engage in what she described as "advocacy for violence and terrorism."

The Trump administration has linked pro-Palestinian campus activism particularly calls for a ceasefire in Gaza to anti-Semitism and has moved to expel foreign nationals, including students and faculty, who participated in the protests.

Harvard, in response, said the subpoenas were "unwarranted" and "retaliatory," though it confirmed it would cooperate with lawful government requests.

In a further blow to the institution, federal authorities also urged Harvard’s accrediting body to revoke its accreditation, citing a failure to adequately protect Jewish students and alleging breaches of civil rights regulations. The recommendation followed a recent finding that the university had violated federal civil rights laws.

Trump has repeatedly made foreign student activism a political flashpoint, and last month the White House issued a proclamation effectively barring most new international students from entering Harvard.

The order also threatened visa revocations for current enrollees. Harvard challenged the policy in court, and a federal judge issued an injunction blocking its enforcement.

International students make up 27 percent of Harvard’s current student body and represent a significant revenue stream for the university. In total, the administration has slashed approximately $3.2 billion in federal research grants and contracts previously allocated to the institution, with a vow to exclude it from future federal funding entirely.

Harvard has drawn particular scrutiny for resisting federal oversight into its academic operations, including faculty hiring, curriculum design, and ideological diversity. Meanwhile, other universities such as Columbia have reportedly agreed to the administration’s broad compliance demands.