Overview

• Harvard professors have filed a federal lawsuit to block the Trump administration's review of nearly $9 billion in federal contracts and grants awarded to the university.
• The lawsuit alleges that the administration's conditions, including banning masks, eliminating DEI programs, and mandating law enforcement cooperation, violate free speech and procedural norms.
• Federal agencies, including the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services, are reviewing $255.6 million in contracts and $8.7 billion in multi-year grants tied to Harvard.
• The administration has invoked Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act as the legal basis for enforcing changes at federally funded institutions like Harvard.
• Plaintiffs argue the review is politically motivated, aiming to impose the administration's policy preferences and punish speech it disfavors.