Biden's Education Secretary Cardona threatens to 'remove federal dollars' ... trends now
Columbia University and other Ivy League colleges allowing anti-Israel camps could have over $5 billion in federal funding ripped away, President Biden's top education official warned Tuesday.
Department of Education Sec. Miguel Cardona strongly condemned the 'abhorrent' protests taking over college campuses nationwide and confirmed Columbia University is under a federal investigation.
Ivy Leagues universities, which received an estimated $5 billion in federal funding last fiscal year, have seen their campuses overrun by pro-Gaza protestors for weeks.
Protestors at Columbia, which got $1.2 billion from taxpayers in 2023, are calling for the school to end its investment in Israel-related entities.
Often their cheers have devolved from pro-Palestinian sentiments to anti-Israel remarks. One of the encampment's leaders has said Zionists should be killed.
'If a school refuses to comply with Title VI, yes, we would remove federal dollars,' President Biden's Department of Education Sec. Miguel Cardona warned Tuesday at a Senate hearing.
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination based on race in education programs receiving federal financing.
Department of Education Sec. Miguel Cardona said his agency is investigation Columbia University. According to the agency website, there are two investigations open currently
Pro-Palestinian protestors smashed windows and took over a campus building at Columbia University, escalating tensions between them and the school
'And I should share with you that we do have an open investigation at Columbia University,' Cardona added.
If Columbia is found in violation of of Title VI, Cardona would ensure that federal funding going to the institution stops.
According to the Department of Education's website, Columbia University is under two investigations for Title VI infractions.
One was opened November 16, 2023, and another was opened a week ago on April 23, 2023.
In fact, most Ivy League schools are
