US investigates Harvard and eight other universities over alleged J-1 visa misuse

The Trump administration has launched investigations into Harvard University and eight other US universities over their use of J-1 exchange visas, with Vice President JD Vance alleging that the institutions may be using foreign researchers to undercut wages for American graduate students and researchers.

Announcing the move on Thursday, Vance said the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General had served subpoenas on the institutions. Inspector General Anthony P. D’Esposito said the investigation would examine potential foreign influence, financial ties and the universities’ use of J-1 visas.

The universities named in the investigation are Harvard University, Yale University, Stanford University, Brown University, the University of Pittsburgh, the University of California, Davis, the California Institute of Technology, Arizona State University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

According to The Harvard Crimson, Harvard spokesperson Jason A. Newton confirmed that the university had received a subpoena and was reviewing it. The investigation does not, by itself, establish that any of the universities violated visa or labour rules.

Vance questions universities’ use of foreign researchers

Vance alleged that the nine universities used J-1 visa holders for federally funded research projects at a rate of approximately 61 per cent, compared with a national average of 38 per cent. He did not explain how the figures had been calculated, according to The Harvard Crimson.

He argued that the programme was being used in ways that could disadvantage American graduate students and researchers. The administration’s investigation will examine the allegations; no findings of wrongdoing have been established in the announcement.

The J-1 Exchange Visitor Programme allows eligible foreign nationals to enter the United States temporarily for approved exchange activities, including research, teaching and study. It is overseen by the US Department of State.

Harvard faces renewed scrutiny over international programmes

The latest investigation adds to the Trump administration’s scrutiny of Harvard’s international students and researchers.

In July 2025, the State Department launched a separate review of Harvard’s participation in the J-1 programme and sought records related to its visa sponsorships. That inquiry did not publicly establish specific misconduct at the time, The Harvard Crimson reported.

The Department of Homeland Security also subpoenaed Harvard in July 2025 for records concerning its oversight of international students and compliance with federal immigration requirements.

Harvard sponsors visas for more than 10,000 international students and scholars across the university, according to its international office, as cited by The Harvard Crimson.

The latest probe comes amid ongoing legal disputes between Harvard and the federal government over research funding, international student entry and other university policies. The administration has also pursued legal action relating to Harvard’s admissions records.

Investigation comes amid wider US visa restrictions

The university investigation is part of a broader set of measures affecting international students, researchers and foreign workers in the United States. The administration has argued that immigration and employment programmes should not be used to disadvantage American workers.

Separately, Vance announced measures targeting technology companies’ participation in a federal labour-certification process used in employment-based permanent-residency applications. That action concerns a different immigration process from the J-1 exchange visa programme.

The outcome of the university investigations will depend on the evidence examined by federal authorities and the responses of the institutions involved. The subpoenas mark the start of that scrutiny, rather than a determination that visa fraud has occurred.