Trump freezes federal funds to Cornell, Northwestern University over civil rights violations

The Trump administration has frozen over $1 billion in federal funding to Cornell University and another $790 million for Northwestern University over potential civil rights violations at the prestigious schools. According to The New York Times, the freeze affects grants and contracts connected to the Agriculture, Education, Defense, and Health and Human Services departments.

Northwestern University told Fox News that "The University has not received any official notification from the federal government," and it found out through the media. 

Both Cornell and Northwestern were included on a list of 60 colleges and universities that the Department of Education’s civil rights branch warned earlier this month could lose federal funding in response to not addressing antisemitic discrimination and harassment on campus.

Cornell professor Russell Rickford said following the Oct 7., 2023, massacre that he was “exhilarated” and “energized” by the atrocities. He was not disciplined or punished, but placed on "voluntary leave." Shortly thereafter he returned to the classroom to continue teaching.

Northwestern has been dogged by criticism over its handling of anti-Israel protests on campus and its failure to address antisemitism toward students.

The freeze comes less than a week after the Trump administration paused over a billion dollars in federal funding to Brown University following its failed response to antisemitism on campus in the wake of the Oct. 7 attacks.

The federal government has frozen funds to many colleges and universities and placed many others under investigation, including UPenn, Columbia, University of Washington, Princeton, Harvard, following concerns over antisemitic activity on their campuses since October 2023, civil rights violations, or gender ideology. Dozens of schools have felt the impact.

Columbia University had over $400 million in federal funding revoked. Earlier this month, a federal antisemitism task force announced a review of Harvard's federal grants and contracts worth nearly $9 billion. Princeton University confirmed dozens of its research grants have been frozen. 

The Trump administration has detained and deported foreign students who participated in anti-Israel protests at American universities.