Harvard faces $2.2bn Federal funding freeze over refusal to comply with Anti-Semitism crackdown

Harvard University has been hit with a $2.2 billion freeze in federal funding after rejecting a series of tough demands from the White House aimed at combating anti-Semitism on campus.

This development comes after the elite institution turned down changes to its leadership structure, hiring system, and admission processes, which the government insists are necessary steps.

Earlier on April 3, Harvard had been ordered to close its diversity offices and work with immigration authorities to screen foreign students. The new demands issued last Friday also include auditing the personal beliefs of both students and staff.

In a letter addressed to both students and faculty members, Harvard President Alan Garber firmly stated that the institution would not compromise its independence or constitutional rights. “We will not negotiate over our independence or our constitutional rights,” he said.

In response, the Trump-led Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism announced that Harvard would face a $2.2 billion freeze in long-term grants, as well as a separate hold on $60 million in federal contracts.

The Task Force said, “Harvard’s statement today reinforces the troubling entitlement mindset that is endemic in our nation’s most prestigious universities and colleges, that federal investment does not come with the responsibility to uphold civil rights laws.” It further condemned the harassment of Jewish students and called on elite institutions to make serious changes or risk losing federal support.

Tensions on university campuses have been high since student-led protests against Israel’s military actions in Gaza rocked institutions across the United States last year.

Many of the protests turned violent, drawing national attention.

Trump and several Republicans have accused some of these student activists of showing support for Hamas, a US-designated terrorist organization responsible for the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.

Back in March, the Department of Education began investigating 60 American colleges and universities for reports of anti-Semitic discrimination and harassment.

Harvard’s troubles worsened after the White House placed $9 billion in federal support to the university and its affiliates under review, leading to the latest and more aggressive demands.

Harvard, which posted a $45 million surplus out of $6.5 billion revenue last year, has refused to bend. Garber noted the institution remains open to feedback but will not submit to instructions that go beyond what the law permits. “No government, regardless of which party is in power , should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue,” he added.

Republican lawmaker Elise Stefanik, known for her strong stance on anti-Semitism, attacked Harvard, describing it as a symbol of “moral and academic rot” in higher education. She further accused the institution of allowing “raging anti-Semitism.”

However, Harvard’s position gained support from liberal figures such as former President Barack Obama, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, and Senator Bernie Sanders. “Congratulations to Harvard for refusing to relinquish its constitutional rights to Trump’s authoritarianism,” Sanders wrote on X (formerly Twitter), urging other schools to follow suit.

Meanwhile, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has gone to court to stop the Department of Energy from halting grants, saying the decision puts nearly 1,000 people’s work at risk.

Harvard’s resistance stands in contrast to Columbia University, which faced a $400 million grant cut for not protecting Jewish students during pro-Palestinian protests. Columbia responded by adjusting its disciplinary systems and hiring 36 new security officers.

In addition to the funding issues, immigration authorities have also taken action against two key organizers of the Columbia protests.

Mahmoud Khalil is currently facing deportation, while Mohsen Mahdawi was arrested while attending a US citizenship interview.