Jewish judge overturns Harvard funding freeze, saying antisemitism allegations were a ‘smokescreen’
A federal judge wrote that the administration had used antisemitism to advance its agenda at the country’s top universities
Harvard University’s “Veritas” shield is seen on a gate on Feb. 17, 2024. Photo by Perica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
(JTA) — A federal judge ruled Wednesday that the Trump administration had illegally frozen more than $2.6 billion in federal funding to Harvard University over claims of antisemitism.
In her 84-page ruling, U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs wrote that the Trump administration had used allegations of antisemitism at top U.S. universities as a “smokescreen” for advancing its political agenda.
“A review of the administrative record makes it difficult to conclude anything other than that Defendants used antisemitism as a smokescreen for a targeted, ideologically-motivated assault on this country’s premier universities,” Burroughs wrote.
The decision, which marks a significant legal victory for the Ivy League university, comes a month after the Trump administration found that the school had violated the civil rights of its Jewish and Israeli students in its response to alleged antisemitism on campus.
Burroughs had previously questioned the ties between the federal government’s campaign against antisemitism and funding cuts, which have led to multi-million dollar settlements with other top universities including Columbia University and Brown University.
While the ruling is likely to be appealed by the federal government, Harvard and the Trump administration have also been negotiating a potential agreement that would reinstate its federal funding and end investigations into its conduct.
“We must fight against antisemitism, but we equally need to protect our rights, including our right to free speech, and neither goal should nor needs to be sacrificed on the altar of the other,” wrote Burroughs, who is Jewish. “Harvard is currently, even if belatedly, taking steps it needs to take to combat antisemitism and seems willing to do even more if need be.”
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