Harvard University has stated it will comply with a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) request to supply employee I-9 forms amidst a broader conflict with the Trump administration, a move that has captured significant attention due to the wider implications for privacy and international relations. In the wake of a subpoena issued on July 8 along with a notice demanding the forms used to confirm employment eligibility in the United States, Harvard affirmed it would fulfil the federal mandate, as reported by NBC10 Boston.
Although ready to provide records for its approximately 19,000 staff members, as The Harvard Crimson noted, the university is withholding information regarding students who are or were employed in roles designated solely for their demographic, citing the protections guaranteed by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). However, the comprehensive reach of DHS's request encompasses all individuals who worked at the esteemed academic institution from July 1, 2024, to July 1, 2025, including those housed within the historic walls of the Massachusetts Hall.
Despite the school's attempt to buffer students from the inspection, Harvard has signaled a willingness to potentially expend a hefty sum up to $500 million to settle disputes with the administration involving international students and federal contracts, as such a conversation surfaces amid Trump administration efforts targeting these student demographics without publicly provided evidence of a national security risk.
"Harvard intends to comply with federal law and accordingly will provide the requested records to DHS, subject to one exception," a school spokesperson said in a statement to NBC10 Boston, while they also "have asked DHS to confirm that the records produced in response to this notice for any individual will be securely maintained by DHS and not shared outside DHS, that the documents will only be accessed by DHS personnel authorized to inspect such records, and that DHS will only use these records for the purposes authorized by law," the Harvard Human Resources department maintained in an email communication, according to The Harvard Crimson.
The university's decision is but a microcosm, a tableau reflecting broader governmental strategies, as the DHS continues to implement I-9 form audits under the Trump presidency’s immigration crackdown that has led to significant penalties for companies found to be employing unauthorized workers.
