Republicans in the US Congress announced an investigation into Harvard University on Thursday. The lawmakers accuse Harvard of flouting civil rights law. This marks an escalation of President Donald Trump's attacks on elite institutions.
The lawmakers wrote to Harvard demanding documents on its hiring practices and diversity programs. They also requested information on last year's pro-Palestinian campus protests. The letter was signed by House Oversight Committee chair James Comer and House leadership chair Elise Stefanik.
Comer and Stefanik criticized Harvard President Alan Garber for rejecting demands for supervision by the White House. The White House has canceled US$2.2 billion in funding and threatened further reprisals. They stated that Harvard is refusing to enter into a reasonable settlement agreement proposed by federal officials.
The Republicans stated that no institution is entitled to violate the law.