US District Judge Allison Burroughs has ruled that the Trump administration’s freeze of nearly $2 billion in federal research grants to Harvard University was unlawful and violated the school’s First Amendment rights.
The ruling is seen as a major legal victory for Harvard in its ongoing clash with the federal government.
Allison Burroughs Says Cuts Were Politically Driven
In an 84-page opinion, Judge Burroughs said the administration used antisemitism concerns as a political cover to target elite universities.
“Defendants used antisemitism as a smokescreen for a targeted, ideologically-motivated assault on this country’s premier universities,” Burroughs wrote.
She concluded the freeze violated the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, and Harvard’s constitutional protections.
Trump Administration’s Demands
The conflict began in April when federal officials demanded that Harvard adopt new measures to combat antisemitism. After the school declined, the administration froze billions in funding, threatened its tax-exempt status, and raised the possibility of restricting international student enrollment.
Harvard responded with a lawsuit, calling the actions a “politically motivated pressure campaign”. Both sides agreed to skip a trial and move straight to a ruling.
Court Defends Academic Freedom
Judge Burroughs sided with Harvard, saying the administration’s approach was more about political control than protecting students.
“Harvard is currently, even if belatedly, taking steps it needs to take to combat antisemitism. Now it is the job of the courts to safeguard academic freedom and freedom of speech as required by the Constitution,” she wrote.
White House Pushback
The White House quickly condemned the ruling. Assistant press secretary Liz Huston called Burroughs an “activist Obama-appointed judge” and said an appeal is planned.
“Harvard does not have a constitutional right to taxpayer dollars and remains ineligible for grants in the future,” Huston said.
Who Is Allison Burroughs?
Allison Dale Burroughs, born in 1961, is a federal judge for the District of Massachusetts, appointed by President Barack Obama in 2014.
She has handled several high-profile education cases, including the lawsuit challenging Harvard’s race-based admissions policies, a case that drew national attention.
