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The US Justice Department has sued Harvard University, accusing it of failing to address antisemitism on campus. The lawsuit could lead to a freeze on existing grants and the reclaiming of paid grants. This represents the latest form of ongoing conflict between President Trump’s administration and the university, which has been resisting federal control.
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Justice Department Sues Harvard Over Alleged Antisemitism
The Justice Department lodged a new lawsuit against Harvard University on Friday, accusing it of failing to address antisemitism on campus, potentially leading to a freeze on existing federal grants and restitution of funds previously awarded.
The lawsuit, filed in Massachusetts’ federal court, continues a long-standing dispute between President Donald Trump’s administration and the prestigious Ivy League institution.
The Justice Department aims to have Harvard comply with federal civil rights law and return billions of taxpayer dollars conferred to an institution they deem discriminatory.
Harvard’s Response to the Lawsuit
In an official statement, Harvard pledged to fight the lawsuit, terming it as yet another unfounded act of retaliation by the Trump administration for refusing federal control over the University.
Harvard affirmed its commitment towards its Jewish and Israeli community, claiming to have taken substantial steps to address antisemitism’s root causes while enforcing relevant anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policies.
The Ongoing Tussle Over Antisemitism
Following stalled negotiations, the Trump administration has cut over $2.6 billion in research funding, discontinued federal contracts, and tried to prevent Harvard from hosting international students.
Harvard argues it’s being unjustly punished for not aligning with the administration’s viewpoints. A federal judge reversed the funding cuts in December, debunking the antisemitism argument as a “smokescreen.”
Negotiations Between Both Parties
Last year, both sides seemed close to striking a deal requiring Harvard to pay $500 million to recover federal funding and call off investigations. However, a year hence, the figure was increased to $1 billion by President Trump, accusing Harvard of misconduct.
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