In a bold legal move, Harvard University has initiated a lawsuit against the federal government, aiming to overturn a freeze imposed on more than $2.2 billion of research funding. The university's legal action comes in response to what it calls arbitrary demands from the Trump administration, which include leadership and policy reforms. The Trump administration's directives, delivered in an April 11 letter, required Harvard to amend its admissions policies, audit diversity views, and curtail certain student clubs, among other demands. When the university resisted these demands, federal funding was swiftly suspended, prompting Harvard's claim of First Amendment violations. The lawsuit, filed in Boston federal court, asserts that the government has failed to demonstrate a legitimate link between antisemitism concerns and the suspension of funds important for critical research. Harvard's stand against the administration's demands is seen as a defense of academic autonomy and freedom. (With inputs from agencies.)