Harvard to hand over I-9 records for 19,000 employees under DHS order amid sweeping US federal inquiry

Time of India

3 days ago

DHS demands I-9 documents as Harvard faces sweeping US employment and immigration inquiry
Harvard University has confirmed it will submit I-9 employment verification records for nearly 19,000 current and former employees following a formal request by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), according to an internal email sent to staff.
The request forms part of a broader federal inquiry into the University's employment and immigration compliance.
The disclosure was announced in an email from Harvard's human resources office, which was sent to current and recent employees. The University said it would comply with a DHS notice of inspection requiring it to produce I-9 records for all individuals employed by Harvard between July 1, 2024, and July 1, 2025, as reported by The Harvard Crimson.
Scope of the DHS request clarified
Initially, Harvard interpreted the DHS request as pertaining only to employees working in Massachusetts Hall, the University's administrative headquarters and the location of the office of University President Alan M. Garber. However, The Harvard Crimson reported that DHS later clarified the scope of the notice, stating it "applies to all current Harvard employees and any individual employed by the University in the last 12 months.
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Form I-9 is a federal document used to verify an employee's identity and their legal authorisation to work in the US. Employers are required to retain these forms and present them upon request to DHS or other authorised federal bodies.
University response and privacy concerns
According to The Harvard Crimson, Harvard's human resources department said in the email that it had requested 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."
The University also asked that the documents "only be accessed by DHS personnel authorised to inspect such records, and that DHS will only use these records for the purposes authorised by law.
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While the University is moving forward with the release of most I-9 records, it is still evaluating whether information related to student employees—particularly those employed in student-only roles—is protected under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
As reported by The Harvard Crimson, the University stated it is currently assessing whether such records must be withheld under FERPA.
Additional subpoenas and investigations
In addition to the I-9 request, DHS has issued three separate subpoenas to Harvard, primarily seeking information related to international students. These subpoenas cover post-graduation employment, participation in protests, and disciplinary or criminal records, according to The Harvard Crimson.
On July 8, DHS had already served Harvard with a subpoena for payroll data and an employee roster, along with the I-9 notice. The University was given three days to comply. A University spokesperson declined to comment on the matter when approached on the same day, The Harvard Crimson reported.
The Harvard International Office stated on July 10 that it was reviewing the subpoenas and would comply with US laws and institutional policies.
The office said, "If the University determines we must provide such records that pertain to you, the University will contact you directly," as quoted by The Harvard Crimson.
Wider federal scrutiny of universities
This is not the first time Harvard has come under federal scrutiny. The Trump administration has repeatedly targeted the University, raising concerns over international students' presence in the US. According to The Harvard Crimson, DHS has also challenged Harvard's authority to host students and researchers under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program.
More recently, the US State Department launched an investigation into Harvard's participation in the Exchange Visitor Program, which enables the University to sponsor J-1 visas for international researchers, instructors, and certain students.
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