The Trump administration has launched investigations into Harvard University and the Harvard Law Review after allegations that the journal discriminated against readers who wanted to respond to an article about police reform because they were white men.

Both the Department of Education and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) launched investigations into possible violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The investigations were launched in response to information both federal agencies received about policies and practices for journal membership as well as article selection that may violate Title VI.

In a press release, HHS claimed the Harvard Law Review’s editor reportedly wrote that it was «concerning» that «four of the five people» who wanted to reply to an article on police reform were «white men.»

TRUMP FROZE FUNDING FOR HARVARD. MONEY TO THESE UNIVERSITIES MAY ALSO BE ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK

HHS also said another editor at the Review suggested «that a piece should be subjected to expedited review because the author was a minority.»

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color and national origin in education programs and activities that receive federal funding. Any violations of Title VI could result in the loss of funds from the federal government.

«Harvard Law Review’s article selection process appears to pick winners and losers on the basis of race, employing a spoils system in which the race of the legal scholar is as, if not more, important than the merit of the submission,» HHS Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor said. «Title VI’s demands are clear: recipients of federal financial assistance may not discriminate on the basis of race, color, or national origin. No institution—no matter its pedigree, prestige, or wealth—is above the law. The Trump Administration will not allow Harvard, or any other recipients of federal funds, to trample on anyone’s civil rights.»

TRUMP ADMIN SLASHES OVER $2.2B IN FUNDING TO HARVARD AFTER SCHOOL DEFIES DEMANDS

Harvard University (Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images/File)

In a statement to Fox News Digital, the school stated, «Harvard Law School is committed to ensuring that the programs and activities it oversees are in compliance with all applicable laws and to investigating any credibly alleged violations. The Harvard Law Review is a student-run organization that is legally independent from the law school. A claim brought in 2018 was dismissed by the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.»

The investigations come as the Trump administration continues to feud with elite education institutions, announcing earlier this month it would be cutting off over $2.2 billion in funding to Harvard University while threatening cuts to another $1 billion of its federal grants and funding.

After Harvard refused to comply with a series of requests from the Trump administration to reform various practices on campus, the administration revealed April 18 that it would freeze more than $2 billion in federal funding for the institution.

HARVARD WON’T COMPLY WITH TRUMP ADMIN’S DEMANDS AMID THREATS OF CUTTING FEDERAL FUNDING

The Trump administration dismissed more than a dozen judges on Friday. (Donald Trump/Truth Social)

Harvard University President Alan M. Garber said in a statement that President Donald Trump’s administration tacked on additional requests that go beyond addressing antisemitism on campus, and the institution would not comply because the demands were unconstitutional.

Garber said the new requests «direct governmental regulation of the ‘intellectual conditions’ at Harvard,» including auditing viewpoints of student, faculty and staff members on campus and eliminating all diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, offices and initiatives at Harvard. 

«It makes clear that the intention is not to work with us to address antisemitism in a cooperative and constructive manner,» Garber wrote. «We have informed the administration through our legal counsel that we will not accept their proposed agreement.»

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The Trump administration launched the Federal Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism in February, which aims to eradicate bias on campuses that have experienced incidents targeting Jewish students since October 2023.

«It is time for elite universities to take the problem seriously and commit to meaningful change if they wish to continue receiving taxpayer support,» the task force said in a statement. 

Fox News Digital’s Diana Stancy contributed to this report.

Cientos de indígenas bloquearon el lunes múltiples carreteras en Guatemala para exigir la liberación de dos líderes de la organización 48 Cantones de Totonicapán, quienes encabezaron las protestas en 2023 en demanda de la renuncia de la fiscal general y de una transición pacífica del actual presidente Bernardo Arévalo, según información de la Dirección General de Protección y Seguridad Vial.

Por lo menos 11 carreteras en nueve departamentos permanecieron cerradas como parte de los bloqueos convocados por el Comité de Desarrollo Campesino (Codeca), respaldados por otras agrupaciones indígenas y sociales. Los campesinos instalaron piedras, ramas y puestos de manifestantes en las principales rutas del país. Además, reclaman el cese de un aumento salarial aprobado por el Congreso en noviembre pasado.

Las manifestaciones surgieron tras la detención del viceministro de Desarrollo Sostenible del Ministerio de Energía y Minas, Luis Pacheco, y del también líder indígena Héctor Batz Chaclán, ambos ex miembros de la Junta Directiva de los 48 Cantones. Los dirigentes fueron acusados de terrorismo y obstaculización de la justicia por el Ministerio Público y la jueza Carol Patricia Flores, quien ha sido señalada en el pasado por presuntos actos de corrupción. La Fiscalía buscaba además imputarlos por otros tres delitos.

El Ministerio Público, comandado por la fiscal general Consuelo Porras y su secretario general Ángel Pineda, también sancionados por Estados Unidos y la Unión Europea por actos de corrupción, sostuvo que las protestas de 2023 afectaron el patrimonio ciudadano y presentó como evidencia mensajes en redes sociales que mencionaban los bloqueos.

Desde la presidencia, el secretario de Comunicación Santiago Palomo afirmó que el gobierno buscará preservar el diálogo y la libre movilidad. El presidente Bernardo Arévalo calificó la detención como “espuria y sin fundamento” y tildó a los miembros de la fiscalía como una “cuadrilla de criminales”.

Organismos internacionales, entre ellos la Unión Europea, expresaron su rechazo a las detenciones. La presidenta de México, Claudia Sheinbaum, también manifestó su solidaridad con los líderes indígenas y con Arévalo, subrayando que la postura mexicana responde a la defensa de la autodeterminación de los pueblos y de quienes luchan por la democracia. “Me van a decir que estoy interviniendo en los temas de Guatemala, no, es sencillamente parte de la política exterior de México”, dijo Sheinbaum durante su conferencia de prensa matutina.

La Embajada Británica en Guatemala expresó su profunda preocupación ante la persecución de autoridades indígenas, advirtiendo que el “uso del sistema judicial como arma socava el Estado de Derecho”.

Pacheco y Batz Chaclán permanecen en prisión preventiva mientras se desarrollan las investigaciones bajo reserva judicial, con un plazo de dos meses otorgado a la fiscalía para recabar pruebas. Ambos líderes se suman a otras figuras consideradas como “presos políticos” por analistas, entre ellos el periodista José Rubén Zamora Marroquín, el fiscal anticorrupción Stuardo Campo y el abogado Eduardo Masaya.

El Comité de Desarrollo Campesino (Codeca), organización que afirma aglutinar a más de 200.000 personas, convocó las manifestaciones tras las detenciones. En las elecciones de 2019, su brazo político, el Movimiento para la Liberación de los Pueblos (MLP), obtuvo el cuarto lugar con la candidatura de Thelma Cabrera, quien fue excluida de las elecciones de 2023 por decisión del Tribunal Supremo Electoral, situación que también afectó a otros candidatos.

Desde antes de la asunción presidencial de Arévalo, el Ministerio Público había intentado retirarle la inmunidad para procesarlo, incluyendo acusaciones por un presunto fraude electoral. Diversas organizaciones nacionales e internacionales confirmaron que las elecciones presidenciales de 2023 se llevaron a cabo sin fraude.

(Con información de AP/EFE)

A Brazilian protester was reportedly sentenced to 14 years in jail for writing a message in lipstick on a statue during demonstrations in 2023.

Debora Rodrigues, 39, was recently sentenced after being convicted of involvement with a criminal organization with intent to launch a coup, according to the BBC.

Rodrigues was a supporter of former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro. His supporters attacked government buildings after he lost to now-president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the 2022 presidential election. Hundreds of Bolsonaro supporters took part in the protest.

Rodrigues, who works as a hairdresser, wrote, «You lost, idiot» on the statue of Justice outside the Supreme Federal Court.

HOW BRAZILIAN POLICE SAY BOLSONARO PLOTTED A COUP TO STAY IN OFFICE

However, she didn’t expect to be prosecuted for writing the message, and told the jury that she was unaware of the scale of the protests.

«I went to the protests and I didn’t imagine that they would be so turbulent,» Rodrigues was quoted as saying, according to the BBC. 

RUMBLE, TRUMP MEDIA DECLARE ‘COMPLETE VICTORY FOR FREE SPEECH’ IN WIN AGAINST BRAZILIAN JUDGE

Brazil’s former President Jair Bolsonaro speaks to the press as he arrives at the Brasilia International Airport in Brasilia, Brazil, on March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Luis Nova)

«I have never done anything illegal in my life,» she added.

According to the BBC, Justice Alexandre de Moraes argued that the hairdresser «consciously and voluntarily» aligned herself with protesters seeking to overthrow the Brazilian government.

The justice also accused Rodrigues of concealing evidence by possibly deleting messages on her phone, and said that the 39-year-old had admitted to taking part in «anti-democratic acts.»

The lengthy nature of the sentence has been used by Bolsonaro supporters to argue that they are victims of political persecution by the left-wing Lula administration, working in conjunction with Brazil’s Supreme Court.

Bolsonaro himself has called for amnesty for Rodrigues in a post on X.

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Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro arrives for a luncheon with senators from his support base, at the National Congress building in Brasilia, Brazil, Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025.  (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

In March, Bolsonaro was ordered to stand trial over the alleged coup attempt to stay in office after his 2022 election defeat. The right-wing politician, who has an ongoing power struggle against Lula, was also told by the Brazilian Supreme Court that he is not permitted to run in 2026.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.