Harvard has been investigated by the DOJ for the help of Chinese donors that may have expelled American students

The Justice Department is reviewing whether Harvard University accepted foreign donations that unfairly favored students from China and other countries over American students.

The department said Monday that Harvard’s international financial disclosures have raised concerns that some donors have imposed nationally-based restrictions on financial aid. Officials are examining whether those programs violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits federally funded institutions from discriminating on the basis of national origin.

“Every American student should have an equal opportunity to compete for college scholarships, grants, and other types of financial aid and incentives,” Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon said in a statement.

“Schools cannot take federal dollars and then turn around and accept money from other countries to provide financial aid that knowingly excludes American citizens — doing that is illegal, and we will stop it wherever we find it,” he continued.

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The DOJ said some donors based in China directed Harvard to use their money for aid programs that benefit students from certain countries. The department suspects that complying with those restrictions would hinder foreign students, including Americans.

Officials stressed that the review is ongoing and that the department has not reached a conclusion. The DOJ also did not identify specific scholarships or donors under scrutiny.

Harvard has denied that its financial aid policies violate the federal civil rights law.

“Harvard follows the required reporting of donations and, consistent with our legal obligations under Title VI, does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, or national origin in providing financial aid,” the university said in a statement.

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The DOJ said Chinese donors gave Harvard money to support financial aid programs only for foreign students from certain countries. (Zhu Ziyu/VCG via Getty Images)

Federal law requires colleges and universities to report foreign gifts and contracts worth at least $250,000. The DOJ said the Civil Rights Division’s investigation of those whistleblowers found that Harvard reported nearly $4.5 billion in foreign funding — more than any other American university — including more than $630 million from China, its largest foreign source.

The university offers need-based institutional aid to international students, while federal grants and other government aid are generally limited to eligible US students. Harvard also uses private scholarship and employment funds to support international students.

The DOJ said the disclosure of Harvard’s financial holdings in other countries “raised concerns” about the university’s compliance with the anti-discrimination requirements of Title VI. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Some secret gifts are designed for students from certain nationalities. In 2014, SOHO China founders Pan Shiyi and Zhang Xin donated $15 million to support Chinese students at Harvard. The DOJ has not yet said whether that offer is part of its review.

The investigation adds another charge to the broader conflict between the Trump administration and Harvard. Government officials have also scrutinized the university over alleged anti-Semitism, admissions practices and its treatment of foreign students.

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A federal judge had previously blocked the administration from cutting billions of dollars in research funding from Harvard as related lawsuits continued.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.