Overview

• President Donald Trump announced plans to cut federal funding to schools and universities that permit what he described as 'illegal protests,' without clarifying what constitutes such protests.
• Trump's statement also included threats to arrest, deport, or expel protest participants, along with a ban on the use of masks during demonstrations.
• Legal experts and civil rights organizations criticized the move as unconstitutional, citing First Amendment protections for peaceful protests and free speech.
• The announcement follows rising student-led demonstrations against anti-LGBTQ+ policies, book bans, and restrictions on gender-affirming care, as well as pro-Palestinian protests on campuses.
• Free speech advocates warned that the threat of losing federal funding could lead to preemptive censorship by schools, chilling lawful political expression on campuses.