Who is the Judge that struck down The President’s Harvard grant freeze?

Judge Allison Burroughs has a sordid history of partisan rulings

Opinion-analysis | By Easton Martin | September 4, 2025

Judge Allison Burroughs, an Obama appointee best known for siding with Harvard in the controversial case brought by Asian students who alleged discrimination in admissions, has once again issued a ruling that raises serious questions about her impartiality. In her latest decision, Burroughs struck down the Trump administration’s move to freeze over $2 billion in federal research grants to Harvard University.

The administration argued the freeze was justified in light of mounting evidence of antisemitism and misconduct on Harvard’s campus, citing the university’s failure to adequately address harassment concerns. Burroughs, however, disagreed, calling the action “arbitrary and capricious” and framing it as retaliation rather than legitimate oversight. She ordered that Harvard’s funding be restored immediately. The administration is expected to appeal the decision in the coming days. 

Despite the apparent antisemitism at Harvard, the Jewish-American judge Burroughs still decided to side against the university in yet another case of discrimination.

This is not the first time Burroughs has appeared to favor elite institutions over accountability. Her 2019 ruling against Asian American plaintiffs in the Harvard admissions lawsuit drew sharp criticism, with many accusing her of protecting the Ivy League’s race-based admissions policies at the expense of fairness. Now, in a case directly involving the same university, she has once again sided with Harvard’s interests.

Burroughs has sought to routinely set herself against President Trump, also notably ordering a hold on Executive Order 13769 during Trump’s first term (also known as the “Muslim travel ban”). 

This decision reveals a pattern: Burroughs consistently shields powerful institutions, especially Harvard, from consequences while dismissing concerns raised by ordinary Americans. By blocking the administration’s attempt to hold Harvard accountable, Burroughs has not only undermined executive authority but also signaled that political bias, not justice, guides her courtroom.