Harvard Faces $2.2B Federal Freeze Over Protest Demands

Post by: Layla Badr

Harvard University is facing a huge funding freeze from the U.S. government — $2.2 billion in federal money has been put on hold. This happened on Monday after Harvard refused to follow a list of strict rules from the White House. These rules were meant to stop anti-Semitism (hatred or unfair treatment toward Jewish people) on college campuses.

The government had already given Harvard a warning on April 3, asking them to shut down their diversity offices and help immigration officers screen international students. But on Friday, the government sent a much longer list of demands, including a request to check the personal views of students and teachers. Harvard made that list public.

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In response, Harvard President Alan Garber wrote a letter to students and staff. He said Harvard would not give in to the government's pressure and would stand firm to protect its freedom and rights. “We will not negotiate over our independence or our constitutional rights,” he said.

The Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism — created by former President Donald Trump — said in a statement that the freeze also includes $60 million in government contracts. The task force said, “Harvard’s attitude today shows a sense of entitlement. These universities think they can take government money without following civil rights laws. That is wrong.”

They added that the recent chaos and student protests on campuses are not acceptable, and that Jewish students must be protected. “If these elite colleges want taxpayer support, they must take the problem seriously and make real changes,” the task force said.

Many colleges were shaken by protests last year, when students stood against Israel’s war in Gaza. Some protests became violent, involving police and counter-protesters who supported Israel. Trump and other Republicans have accused these student protestors of supporting Hamas, a group the U.S. government calls a terrorist organization. The group’s deadly attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, started the conflict in Gaza.

Back in March, the U.S. Department of Education said it had started looking into 60 colleges and universities for possible anti-Semitic actions or unfair treatment of Jewish students.

The latest letter from Harvard’s president came after the government placed $9 billion of Harvard’s federal funding under review. Garber made it clear that while Harvard is open to listening and learning, it would not follow demands that go beyond what the government is legally allowed to ask.

“No matter which party is in power, the government should not control what private universities teach, who they hire, or what students they admit,” Garber said.

Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, a strong Trump supporter and one of the loudest voices in Congress on this issue, said Harvard should lose all of its government money. She said Harvard has become a symbol of what’s wrong in higher education, claiming the school is full of “raging anti-Semitism.”

Harvard’s firm stand is very different from what Columbia University did. Columbia also faced a $400 million cut in government grants because of similar issues. But Columbia agreed to change how it handles student discipline and hired 36 new officers to improve campus safety.

On top of the funding freeze, immigration officers have also taken action against protest organizers. One of them, Mahmoud Khalil, may be deported. Another, Mohsen Mahdawi, was arrested on Monday while attending a citizenship interview.

This situation continues to create debate about freedom in education, student rights, and how far the government can go when giving out federal funds.

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