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The legal war began after Harvard filed a suit against the federal government, seeking to block punitive actions, including the freeze of over $3 billion in research funds. The university's support at Iowa came from a wide array of places, demonstrating that such cuts put essential scientific and medical work at risk, with amicus briefs coming from more than 40 other institutions warning that the funding loss imperils everything from cancer research to job security in 20 states.
Campus Speech and Federal Authority in Question
Harvard has argued that the Trump administration's actions — focused on diversity practices, campus protests and hiring policies — are a federal intrusion. The university claims that its First Amendment rights are violated and that the administration did not properly follow proper legal procedures in implementing Title VI.
The American Civil Liberties Union joined Harvard in warning the government's actions amount to an attempted "hostile takeover" of private institutions in court filings.
By contrast, 16 Republican-led states submitted a brief supporting the administration and accusing Harvard of tolerating antisemitism, adding that schools receiving federal funds must comply with anti-discrimination laws. "Harvard's present, oppressive antisemitic milieu is illegal," the brief said.
Foreign Students Also in the Crosshairs
In a similar case, a federal judge in Massachusetts granted Harvard a preliminary injunction to keep the State Department and Department of Homeland Security from taking away the university's authority to house international students and scholars. The move came after the administration had previously removed Harvard's certification, anticipating a legal challenge in May.
The university is now asking the court for a ruling in advance of the July 21 trial. A resolution by the end of June could determine how universities across the country will deal with free expression, federal compliance and ideological pressure in the second term of President Donald Trump.
