The Justice Department filed a federal lawsuit against Harvard University on Friday, demanding billions in taxpayer funds be returned and alleging the elite institution violated civil rights law by failing to address antisemitism on campus.

Government Demands Billions in Repayment

The lawsuit, filed in Massachusetts federal court, seeks to freeze existing federal grants to Harvard and recover funds already distributed to the university. The Justice Department stated the United States cannot tolerate Harvard’s failures, requesting the court compel compliance with federal civil rights law and help recover billions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies awarded to what it called a discriminatory institution. The government also demands that Harvard call the police to arrest protesters blocking campus areas and appoint an independent monitor approved by federal authorities.

Harvard Defends Campus Actions

Harvard rejected the allegations in a statement, asserting it cares deeply about Jewish and Israeli community members and remains committed to ensuring they can thrive on campus. The university claimed it has taken substantive, proactive steps to address antisemitism’s root causes and actively enforces anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policies. Harvard’s response characterized its efforts as demonstrating the opposite of deliberate indifference, directly contradicting the government’s accusations. The lawsuit represents another confrontation between the Trump administration and the prestigious Massachusetts institution.

Education Leaders Call Lawsuit Political Attack

Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education, accused the administration of launching a full-scale, multi-pronged attack on Harvard. Mitchell compared the lawsuit to bullies pounding on a table repeatedly when demands go unmet. Anurima Bhargava, former chief of the Educational Opportunities Section at the Justice Department, described the action as an unprecedented attack and suggested the administration filed the new lawsuit to circumvent losses in district courts and failed settlement negotiations. The legal battle raises questions about federal authority over university operations and campus speech policies.