A federal judge on Wednesday struck down the Trump administration's freeze of about $2.2 billion in federal grants to Harvard University, restoring the funding and handing the school a major courtroom win.
Judge Restores Harvard Funding, Says Government Overstepped
As per a Reuters report, U.S. District Judge Allison D. Burroughs said the government overstepped and violated free-speech protections in pausing awards to the university this spring amid accusations that Harvard tolerated antisemitism on campus.
In an 84-page ruling, Burroughs wrote, "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."
"The record here, however, does not reflect that fighting antisemitism was Defendants' true aim in acting against Harvard and, even if it were, combating antisemitism cannot be accomplished on the back of the First Amendment," she added.
Burroughs framed her order as necessary to protect academic freedom and speech, adding that the court must police overreach "even if doing so risks the wrath of a government committed to its agenda no matter the cost." She also found the administration "used antisemitism as a smokescreen to justify punishing Harvard," concluding the freeze failed constitutional scrutiny.
Justice Department Arguments Rejected As Case Proceeds
The Justice Department had urged the judge to dismiss the case on jurisdictional grounds, pointing to recent Supreme Court decisions it said supported the administration's authority to terminate or pause grants. Burroughs rejected those arguments and issued a preliminary injunction restoring the money while the lawsuit proceeds.
Harvard Fight Unfolds Amid Broader Funding Uncertainty
The White House had pursued multiple levers against Harvard, from threatening tax status to limiting foreign-student enrollment, as investigators examined the university's handling of antisemitic incidents. Burroughs acknowledged Harvard's shortcomings while stressing the Constitution's limits on punishment.
Harvard and employee groups sued soon after the freeze, becoming the first university to challenge the administration's funding pauses in court. The judge had previously sided with Harvard in a separate dispute over international students and Wednesday's order gives the school leverage as it navigates broader negotiations with federal officials.
The decision also lands as research dollars face wider uncertainty. Earlier this year, the Supreme Court allowed sweeping reductions to National Institutes of Health outlays to move forward, a shift that has rippled across academic labs.
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