A federal judge invalidated the Trump administration’s freeze of $2.2 billion worth of federal grants to Harvard University, handing the school a major legal victory Wednesday.
U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs restored the funding after Harvard and employee groups sued, agreeing it ran afoul of constitutional free speech protections and federal law.
“Defendants and the President are right to combat antisemitism and to use all lawful means to do so. Harvard was wrong to tolerate hateful behavior for as long as it did,” Burroughs wrote in her 84-page ruling.
“The record here, however, does not reflect that fighting antisemitism was Defendants’ true aim in acting against Harvard and, even if it were, combatting antisemitism cannot be accomplished on the back of the First Amendment,” she continued.
The Hill has reached out to Harvard and the White House for comment.
The Trump administration paused the funding for Harvard back in April, alleging the university was in violation of civil rights laws due to inaction against antisemitism on campus.
Harvard quickly sued, becoming the first university to fight the Trump administration in court over funding pauses.
Wednesday’s decision isn’t the first time Burroughs has sided with the school in its months-long fight. The judge previously blocked Trump’s efforts to prohibit Harvard from enrolling international students, which the administration is actively appealing.
The judge’s new ruling at turns criticizes the Ivy League school for its response to antisemitism, but the judge noted the school was now taking steps to address it.
Burroughs framed her order as necessary to safeguard academic freedom and First Amendment free speech protections, “even if doing so risks the wrath of a government committed to its agenda no matter the cost.”
“As pertains to this case, it is important to recognize and remember that if speech can be curtailed in the name of the Jewish people today, then just as easily the speech of the Jews (and anyone else) can be curtailed when the political winds change direction,” the judge wrote.
The Justice Department primarily argued that the Obama-appointed judge had no authority to hear the case. Pointing to the Supreme Court’s recent green lights for the administration to terminate grants in other areas, the government contended the Harvard case must instead go before a court with jurisdiction over federal contract disputes.
Burroughs rejected the argument while critiquing the Supreme Court, saying those recent decisions have “not been models of clarity” but that she was endeavoring to abide by them.
While the ruling will benefit the school’s research funding and bring a sigh of relief to faculty and students, it will also help Harvard leadership in negotiations with the Trump administration.
Reports have emerged that the Trump administration is in talks with university leadership and looking to get the nation’s oldest and richest institution to pay $500 million.
It is unclear how the ruling will affect negotiations as the Trump administration went after Harvard on multiple fronts, such as attempting to take away the school’s ability to enroll foreign students and threats to end its tax-exempt and accreditation status. Harvard has been adamant on fighting the Trump administration on every front as higher education leaders cheered in the wings, seeing the Ivy League institution as the front line after schools such as Columbia University and Brown University struck deals with the federal government.
Updated 5:05 p.m.
