Harvard Ruling Was Written for Amy Coney Barrett: Noah Feldman

In a historic decision, US District Court Judge Allison Burroughs ruled that the Trump administration violated Harvard University’sFirst Amendment rights — and federal law — when it froze and then terminated the school’s federal grants. The outcome marks a significant victory for the university as well as for free speech and academic freedom. The Trump administration may appeal to the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, which is likely to uphold Burroughs’ well-reasoned decision.

If the administration loses, it can still petition the Supreme Court to reverse the lower courts’ rulings. But Burroughs’ opinion was carefully crafted to align ...