Harvard University Sues Trump Administration
Kyiv • UNN
Harvard has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over funding cuts, accusing the White House of trying to punish the university for defending its constitutional rights.
Harvard University has filed a lawsuit against the administration of US President Donald Trump in federal court, accusing the White House of arbitrarily cutting Harvard's research funding in order to "punish the institution for defending its constitutional rights." This is stated on the website of the Harvard University student newspaper The Harvard Crimson, reports UNN.
Details
On Monday, April 21, Harvard University filed a lawsuit the day after it became known about the plans of the administration of US President Donald Trump to cut another $1 billion in federal grants and contracts for Harvard, in addition to the previously announced freeze of $2.2 billion in funding.
The choice for Harvard and other universities is obvious: either allow the government to control the institution of higher education, or jeopardize the possibility of achieving medical breakthroughs, scientific discoveries and innovations.
In the document, the university accuses the Trump administration of illegally freezing billions of dollars in research funds in order to force Harvard to change its management structure, academic programs, and hiring policies.
Harvard President Alan M. Garber said that the university stands for the right of universities to fulfill their legal obligations without government intervention. In the lawsuit, Harvard accuses the American authorities of violating the First Amendment to the Constitution - by imposing ideologically motivated conditions.
It also states that federal agencies have violated legislative procedures, including under Section VI of the Civil Rights Act. In particular, the US Department of Health and Human Services suspended grants without proper legal justification.
This funding freeze has nothing to do with anti-Semitism or compliance with Section VI.
In addition, Alan M. Garber promised to publish the reports of two presidential working groups on combating anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, although their publication has been repeatedly postponed.
Let us remind you
The US government has suspended funding to Harvard in the amount of more than $2.2 billion. The reason was the university's refusal to comply with the requirements for combating anti-Semitism.
