Harvard sues Trump administration over threats to cut funding if demands go unmet

Harvard University is suing President Donald Trump's administration for threatening to withhold federal funding if the school did not comply with its list of demands.

The lawsuit, filed in Massachusetts federal court, asks a judge to block the funding freeze from going into effect, arguing the move is "unlawful and beyond the government's authority."

In it, lawyers for the university argue that the administration is unlawfully using billions of dollars in federal funding as "leverage to gain control of academic decision-making at Harvard."

They also allege that the funding freeze violates the First Amendment, flouts federal law and threatens life-saving medical research.

"All told, the tradeoff put to Harvard and other universities is clear: Allow the Government to micromanage your academic institution or jeopardize the institution's ability to pursue medical breakthroughs, scientific discoveries, and innovative solutions," Harvard's lawyers wrote.

Earlier this month, following the school's refusal to budge on the government's demands, the administration's Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism – alleging the school has failed to confront antisemitism on campus – froze $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in contracts, and it reportedly plans to pull an additional $1 billion in funding for medical research.

The decision followed Harvard University President Alan Garber's letter on April 14, which said that the school "will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights" by agreeing to a series of terms proposed by the Trump administration.

The lawsuit is the school's latest effort to push back against the administration's threats.

"The Government has not—and cannot—identify any rational connection between antisemitism concerns and the medical, scientific, technological, and other research it has frozen that aims to save American lives, foster American success, preserve American security, and maintain America's position as a global leader in innovation," the lawsuit said. "Nor has the Government acknowledged the significant consequences that the indefinite freeze of billions of dollars in federal research funding will have on Harvard's research programs, the beneficiaries of that research, and the national interest in furthering American innovation and progress."

In addition to arguing the funding freeze violates the First Amendment, Harvard's lawyers alleged the Trump administration failed to comply with the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which sets out a series of procedures needed before funding can be frozen.

"The Government made no effort to follow those procedures—nor the procedures provided for in Defendants' own agency regulations—before freezing Harvard's federal funding," the lawsuit said.

The school asked a federal judge to declare the funding freeze unlawful, block it from taking effect and enjoin the government unilaterally freezing furniture funding without following the steps laid out by the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Garber announced the lawsuit in a letter published to the school's website on Monday, saying the administration's demands sought to impose "unprecedented and improper control" over the university.

"Doubling down on the letter's sweeping and intrusive demands—which would impose unprecedented and improper control over the University—the government has, in addition to the initial freeze of $2.2 billion in funding, considered taking steps to freeze an additional $1 billion in grants, initiated numerous investigations of Harvard's operations, threatened the education of international students, and announced that it is considering a revocation of Harvard's 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status," Garber's statement said.

"These actions have stark real-life consequences for patients, students, faculty, staff, researchers, and the standing of American higher education in the world," it continued.

The Trump administration has also cut funding at Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Princeton, the University of Pennsylvania and Northwestern -- with Harvard being the most high-profile and first university to explicitly refuse the government's demands.

"Today, we stand for the values that have made American higher education a beacon for the world. We stand for the truth that colleges and universities across the country can embrace and honor their legal obligations and best fulfill their essential role in society without improper government intrusion," Garber said in his statement announcing the lawsuit on Monday.

The White House did not immediately respond to ABC News' request for comment.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.