Washington: The US Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday said it has launched an investigation reviewing whether some of Harvard University’s financial aid programs were discriminatory. The department said the investigation is to determine whether its China-based financial aid programs and practices exclude U.S.-citizen students.Harvard said Monday that it “does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, or national origin in allocating financial aid.” The Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Ivy League school is reviewing the DOJ’s latest letter to Harvard and will follow up with the government on the topic, a university spokesperson said.US law requires universities to report donations of more than $250,000 a year from foreign sources. Harvard has previously said it has filed reports for decades “as part of its compliance with the law.”The school has previously framed the Trump administration’s investigation as “retaliation against Harvard for refusing to surrender our freedoms and constitutional rights.” Any agreement to resolve the Trump administration’s sweeping investigation into Harvard remains unclear.The Trump administration has targeted universities with threats of investigations and funding suspensions over a range of issues. These include pro-Palestinian protests against Israel’s attacks on Gaza, transgender policies and climate programs. Last month, a judge blocked the Trump administration from implementing a plan to bar foreign nationals from entering the US to study at Harvard.(This is a Reuters story)