Overview

• U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs vacated the administration’s termination of more than $2 billion in Harvard research funding, ruling the actions violated the university’s First Amendment rights and calling the antisemitism rationale a "smokescreen."
• Federal officials said they will appeal, and the White House asserted Harvard "remains ineligible for grants in the future," leaving the timing and scope of any restored funding uncertain.
• The freeze was part of a broader campaign that targeted nearly $6 billion across nine universities, with Harvard the only institution to sue while Columbia accepted sweeping policy changes and a $221 million payment to recover at least $400 million.
• Legal experts caution that, despite the ruling, disbursements may not resume quickly because of potential stays and further litigation, as Harvard President Alan Garber signaled continued monitoring of the case.
• On campus, students report heightened concerns about free speech and immigration enforcement, with international students especially wary after federal attempts to restrict enrollment that courts blocked over the summer.