Trump admin asks judge to pause Harvard funding case amid govt shutdown

Judge Allison Burroughs ruled that Harvard grant terminations were unlawful over antisemitism claims, but final judgment is pending with a status report due by Oct 3

By Miles J Herszenhorn

 

The Trump administration urged a federal judge in Boston to pause its legal fight with Harvard University over more than $2 billion in research funding, citing the US government funding impasse. 

US District Judge Allison Burroughs ruled in favour of Harvard last month, declaring that the government had unlawfully sought to terminate research grants over the administration’s allegations that the university had not done enough to combat campus antisemitism. But she has yet to issue a final judgment, asking the parties to give her a status report by Oct. 3 on any potential objections to her ruling.

 

 

In their filing Wednesday, government lawyers cited their inability to work on civil litigation during the shutdown, and asked that “all current deadlines for the parties be extended” for the duration of the funding lapse. 

 

The government’s request came one day after President Donald Trump said the administration had nearly reached a $500 million deal with Harvard to resolve the months-long conflict by “operating trade schools.” After Trump made his comments in the White House on Tuesday, Harvard officials did not respond to a request for comment or offer any indication that a settlement agreement was imminent.  

According to the government filing, Harvard’s lawyers have agreed to the request for a pause in the case, according to the filing. However, the Harvard chapter of the American Association of University Professors, which also sued the administration, opposed the motion, Us lawyers said.

 

A spokesman for the university declined to comment.

 

The federal government shutdown began Wednesday morning after Republican and Democratic lawmakers failed to reach an agreement on a spending bill before the start of the new fiscal year.

 

The case is Harvard v. US Department of Health and Human Services, 25-cv-11048, US District Court, District of Massachusetts (Boston).