Harvard Faces Renewed Federal Funding Threat After HHS OCR Finds Title VI Violation on Antisemitism

Cambridge, MA – Harvard University is confronting a renewed threat to its federal funding following a June 30, 2025, finding by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) that the institution violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. This development introduces a new dimension to the ongoing legal battle between the university and the U.S. government, potentially circumventing a prior federal court injunction that favored Harvard. The HHS OCR's determination alleges "deliberate indifference" to antisemitic harassment on campus.

The current dispute follows a previous legal challenge where U.S. District Judge Allison D. Burroughs ruled in Harvard's favor on September 3, 2025. Judge Burroughs had issued a permanent injunction, vacating the Trump administration's initial freeze of over $2.6 billion in research funding. Her decision cited violations of the First Amendment and the government's failure to adhere to Title VI's procedural requirements, which mandate notice, investigation, and an opportunity for response before terminating federal financial assistance.

However, the June 30 HHS OCR finding presents a substantive claim of Title VI violation based on an extensive investigation into antisemitism at Harvard. The OCR's findings detailed a hostile environment for Jewish and Israeli students, including instances of harassment, threats, and physical intimidation. The HHS OCR communicated this finding to Harvard and subsequently referred the case to the Department of Justice, indicating that efforts for voluntary compliance had been "fruitless." Both HHS and the Department of Education also notified Harvard's accreditor, the New England Commission of Higher Education, of the Title VI violation.

This recent finding provides the government with a distinct legal avenue to pursue funding termination, potentially sidestepping Judge Burroughs' earlier injunction. As stated by Ben B@dejo on social media, > "If the government doesn’t get a stay of today’s injunction of its earlier suspension of funds from Harvard, the government can just terminate the funds all over again." He further elaborated, > "And this time, Harvard can’t claim that there hasn’t yet been a formal finding by the Office for Civil Rights at either the Department of Ed or HHS that Harvard violated Title VI. HHS OCR issued that finding on June 30th." The social media post suggests that Judge Burroughs' previous opinion "all but admitted that much," setting the stage for what the author termed "Round two."

The university has yet to issue a comprehensive public statement specifically addressing the implications of the June 30 HHS OCR finding in light of the new legal landscape. The ongoing legal and regulatory actions underscore the federal government's commitment to enforcing civil rights compliance at federally funded institutions, signaling a protracted legal and political struggle for Harvard.