Overview

• Harvard rejected federal demands to end diversity programs, reform admissions, and submit to ideological audits, citing constitutional and institutional autonomy.
• The Trump administration froze $2.2 billion in grants, canceled $2.7 million in DHS funding, and directed the IRS to review Harvard's tax-exempt status.
• DHS has warned Harvard it could lose the ability to enroll foreign students if it fails to provide information on alleged illegal activities by visa holders by April 30.
• Harvard’s defiance has inspired other universities, such as Columbia, to reconsider compliance with federal demands, potentially forming a broader coalition.
• Legal challenges are emerging, with faculty groups filing lawsuits and Harvard expected to pursue its own legal action to protect academic freedom.