Overview

• The Trump administration has frozen $2.2 billion in federal funding to Harvard University and threatened its tax-exempt status and ability to host international students, escalating tensions over alleged antisemitism and ideological bias.
• Harvard filed a lawsuit on April 21, arguing the funding freeze violates its First Amendment right to academic independence and rejecting federal demands to overhaul hiring and admissions practices.
• Labor unions and allied groups at Harvard are organizing a rally on April 27 to support non-citizen students and workers while urging university leadership to protect vulnerable members of the community.
• International students and faculty at Harvard face increased risks, with at least 11 individuals losing visas recently, though some were reinstated; fears of deportation and surveillance have grown.
• Academic and labor leaders nationwide continue to mobilize against what they describe as government overreach, with over 220 institutions signing statements opposing the administration’s actions.