Harvard sues Trump administration following $2.2 billion research funding freeze – JURIST

Harvard University filed a lawsuit in US federal court on Monday seeking to block the Trump Administration’s freeze on more than $2.2 billion in federal research funding to the university, arguing that the government’s action violates its Constitutional rights and undermines the autonomy of higher education institutions.

The complaint, filed in US District Court for the District of Massachusetts, follows an April 11 letter from the Trump Administration demanding changes to the university’s leadership structure, admissions polices, and approach to campus activism. Among the conditions outlined, the administration called for the appointment of an independent third-party auditor to evaluate the ideological and political viewpoints of students, faculty, and staff; the revocation of recognition for certain student organizations; and enhanced screening of international students considered “hostile to American values.” The administration cited concerns about rising antisemitism on college campuses, particularly in connection with student protests against Israel’s military campaign in Gaza last year.

Harvard President Alan Garner rejected the demands, saying the university “will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights.” “No government – regardless of which party is in power – should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue,” Garner continued.

Hours after Harvard communicated its refusal to comply with the administration’s demands, the federal government announced the $2.2 billion freeze.

In its complaint, Harvard argued that the freeze was “arbitrary and capricious,” claiming it violated both the First Amendment and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which respectively protect the freedom of speech and prohibit racial discrimination. The university argued that the government failed to establish any rational connection between its stated concerns regarding antisemitism and the freezing of research intended to support medical, scientific, and technological innovation.

Harvard framed the federal government’s actions as a broader threat to academic independence nationwide.

“Today we stand for the values that have made American higher education a beacon for the world,” Garner wrote in a statement to the Harvard community on Monday. “We stand for the truth that colleges and universities across the country can embrace and honor their legal obligations and best fulfill their essential role in society without improper government instruction.”