According to reports, the Trump administration is freezing $510 million in federal funds designated to Brown University, as the school is under investigation for antisemitism as well as implementation of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies.
In February, institutions like Brown were warned by the Department of Education that actions would be taken if they did not “do not fulfill their obligations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act to protect Jewish students on campus.”
“The Department is deeply disappointed that Jewish students studying on elite U.S. campuses continue to fear for their safety amid the relentless antisemitic eruptions that have severely disrupted campus life for more than a year. University leaders must do better,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said at the time.
She added, “U.S. colleges and universities benefit from enormous public investments funded by U.S. taxpayers. That support is a privilege, and it is contingent on scrupulous adherence to federal anti-discrimination laws.”
Newsmax reports:
Brown is currently under federal monitoring following an earlier civil rights investigation and a related agreement with the department.
An administration official told the Daily Caller that Brown’s grant freeze follows the administration’s earlier move to pause $210 million in funding to Princeton University amid a similar federal probe.
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The investigation into Princeton stems from a complaint filed during the Biden administration.
In 2024, Biden’s Department of Education opened a civil rights investigation after Zachary Marschall, editor-in-chief of Campus Reform, alleged that Princeton failed to respond to antisemitic incidents on campus adequately. His complaint focused on an Oct. 25, 2023, student walkout in support of Palestinians, during which demonstrators chanted, “Brick by brick, wall by wall, apartheid has got to fall.”
Several Ivy League schools are under the federal spotlight now. The Trump admin has already withdrawn $175 million from the University of Pennsylvania for allowing men to compete in women’s sports, and $400 million to Columbia University was frozen over antisemitism complaints.