Federal Judge Orders Trump Administration to Unfreeze $2.2 Billion Harvard Research Grants

A federal judge in Boston, Allison D. Burroughs, ruled against the Trump administration's freeze of over $2.2 billion in federal grants to Harvard University, finding that the administration's actions violated the First Amendment and federal law. The administration had frozen the funds citing allegations of antisemitism on campus, but the judge concluded that antisemitism was used as a "smokescreen" for an ideologically motivated attack on prestigious universities, unrelated to the affected research programs. The ruling vacates all freezes and terminations of funding to Harvard from April 14, 2025, onward and prohibits the administration from using similar reasoning for future funding cuts. The decision emphasized the importance of academic freedom and the protection of free speech, while acknowledging Harvard's efforts to address antisemitism. The Trump administration announced plans to appeal the ruling, maintaining that Harvard failed to protect students from harassment and discrimination. The case highlights tensions between the government and universities over academic independence, funding, and civil rights enforcement amid broader political disputes.