Columbia Sues Over Federal Funding Retaliation

Columbia University faculty and unions have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, alleging its $400 million funding freeze is a retaliatory move against the university's handling of antisemitism and Palestinian protests on campus. This legal action is part of broader concerns over free speech, with student activists and the ACLU highlighting the chilling effect of federal scrutiny on Palestinian advocacy and protests. The administration's actions, including threats of deportation for student protestors, have drawn criticism as an overreach infringing on constitutionally protected rights. Similarly, the University of North Carolina has been navigating tensions between maintaining free speech and managing disruptive protests. The ACLU has urged universities to uphold free speech, particularly for non-citizen students, amidst accusations of antisemitism following pro-Palestinian demonstrations. These issues underline the ongoing national debate over free speech and the politicization of campus protests.