Overview

• U.S. District Judge Allison D. Burroughs issued an 84-page opinion finding the federal freeze of more than $2 billion in Harvard research grants unlawful under the First Amendment and due process.
• The ruling also says additional public research funds cannot be blocked, marking a significant legal win for Harvard in its clash with the administration.
• Coverage notes the freeze disrupted nearly 1,000 federal awards and jeopardized work in areas such as cancer research, quantum computing and treatments for battlefield injuries.
• The opinion says the government invoked antisemitism as a pretext for targeting Harvard and observes that the university is taking steps to counter antisemitism while courts must safeguard academic freedom and free speech.
• A White House spokesperson said the administration will appeal and criticized Harvard’s handling of student harassment, as earlier court orders also preserved access for international students despite separate government actions.