Teachers ‘unions have filed a lawsuit against Trump’s administration on its decision to reduce $ 400 million in funding for Columbia University, accusing the White House of breaching Eleftherios’ protection and targeting academic freedom.
The lawsuit, filed by the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the US Association of University Professors (AAUP), argues that cuts are retaliation, coming from pre-Palestinian protests at Columbia University earlier.
President Donald Trump and senior officials have criticized the university to provide success for Israel’s military response to Gaza. The protests, which included campus professions, caused similar moves across the country.
In response, the administration asked the university to adopt stricter policies, including stricter penalties for protesters, review of imports and banning the masks in demonstrations. Columbia officials have since agreed with most of these requirements, which were made in a letter from March 13th.
Jameel Jaffer, director of the Columbia Institute of First Amendment, said the letter marked a threat to university autonomy. Publishing on the social platform Bluesky, he wrote: “We will destroy Columbia unless you destroy it first.”
The trial argues that funding cuts represent an unconstitutional attempt to push a private institution to limit freedom of speech and to allow federal influence on the curriculum and campus governance. The unions argue that the move also violates Congress’s power over federal spending.
Meanwhile, Trump officials have also taken action against the leader of the Mahmoud Khalil students’ protest, holding him and recalling his green card. Khalil, 30, is being held in Louisiana and faces deportation. The administration claims to have ties with Hamas, a defined terrorist organization. Halil denies allegations and says he is punished for political disagreement.
AFT has also sued Trump’s administration separately from efforts to disassemble the Ministry of Education, continuing a long -standing conflict between Trump and AFT Randi Weingarten’s president dating from his first term.
Federal judges have prevented some of the efforts to cut the administration budget, but many institutions, including Columbia, are facing increasing economic uncertainty.
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