Harvard University said it will comply with the Trump administration's request to turn over employment forms for thousands of university employees, but will not share records for positions open only to students for now. In an email sent to campus employees on Tuesday local time, Harvard University said it received an inspection notice and related subpoena from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security earlier this month, requesting an inspection of university employees’ I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification) forms and supporting documents.
According to the USCIS website, the USCIS Form I-9 is used to verify the identity and employment authorization of individuals working in the United States.
Harvard said federal regulations give the government the right to access U.S. employer documents, including employment qualification information.
Harvard University is locked in a legal battle with the Trump administration to restore billions of dollars in its frozen federal funds. Harvard University sued the Trump administration earlier this year.
Harvard University said Tuesday it will not currently share records with the administration for employees who hold positions open only to students as it determines whether such a request complies with privacy requirements.
It was previously reported that Harvard University is willing to spend up to $500 million to end its dispute with the Trump administration. The amount is more than double the settlement Columbia agreed to pay last week.
Negotiators are still discussing the financial details of the deal for Harvard, which opposes allowing outside watchdogs to oversee the deal, the report said.