Chicago – September 03, 2025
A federal judge ruled in favor of Harvard University on Wednesday, allowing the school to keep over $2 billion in federal research funding that had been frozen by the Trump administration. The judge, Allison Burroughs, disagreed with the government’s claim that Harvard was being targeted because of antisemitism on campus.
Judge Burroughs said the administration used accusations of antisemitism as an excuse for attacking Harvard, calling it an “ideologically-motivated assault” on the university. She explained that the actions of the government harmed years of important research and violated the rights guaranteed by the Constitution and federal laws.
This ruling is a major win for Harvard, which was the only university to challenge the Trump administration in court. The government argued that it was fighting antisemitism, but Harvard’s case is part of a larger debate about academic freedom, how federal money is spent, and how colleges are managed.
As part of the decision, the judge lifted a “Freeze Order” that would have blocked over $2 billion in federal grants for Harvard. The judge also stopped the government from withholding more money from Harvard for allegedly violating its First Amendment rights or claiming discrimination without proper evidence.
