Harvard just scored a major win in its dispute with the Trump administration.
A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration violated the Constitution when it froze more than $2.6 billion in research funding to Harvard, striking down the freeze in its entirety and delivering the University a major legal victory.
The decision from United States District Judge Allison D. Burroughs hands Harvard a summary judgment win on core constitutional grounds, finding that the administration’s freeze orders were retaliation for protected speech. She also found that the government failed to comply with Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which requires agencies to give notice, investigation, and an opportunity to respond before terminating federal financial assistance over civil rights violations.
Burroughs’ order vacated both the freeze orders and termination notices that Harvard received in the days after it rejected sweeping demands from the Trump administration this April as violations of the First Amendment. She also handed Harvard a permanent injunction that prevents the Trump administration from reimposing unconstitutional conditions on its funding.
