GW Weekly Federal Update (March 26)

Key Takeaways

• The National Guard deployment in D.C. may remain through early 2029, according to recent reports. Some have questioned the necessity of the extended mission, and the situation remains subject to ongoing legal challenges. Resources and FAQs on federal personnel and access to campus remain available for GW community members.
• The House Education and Workforce Committee has released a report on antisemitism in higher education. The report characterizes campus antisemitism as a systemic issue and calls for stronger actions.
• Investigations into Harvard and a legal battle with the government continue. Recently, DOJ filed a lawsuit alleging Harvard violated students' civil rights and ED announced new investigations into allegations Harvard continues to discriminate against students on the basis of race, color and national origin.

Recent Federal Actions

District of Columbia

• Recent reports indicate there is a Pentagon plan to maintain a National Guard deployment in D.C. through early 2029, coinciding with the end of President Trump’s term and his initiative to improve local safety. Although the deployment of at least 2,500 members was initially scheduled to conclude in 2025 and later extended through 2026, two U.S. officials indicated that the presence could now remain for an additional three years. D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson questioned the necessity of the extended mission, noting that the continued deployment imposes a significant cost on taxpayers. The situation remains subject to ongoing legal challenges. GW community members with concerns or questions about safety are encouraged to review our resources and FAQs page for guidance and support.
   
• The House Committee on Rules met March 24 to consider the “Make the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Act of 2026.” This legislation seeks to codify core components of a March 2025 Executive Order by establishing the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Commission. This advisory body would be tasked with monitoring the District’s compliance with federal immigration laws and its status as a sanctuary city while also assisting local law enforcement with recruitment, forensic improvements, and expediting concealed carry permits. The Commission would consist of representatives from several federal entities, including the FBI and the Departments of Homeland Security, Justice, and Transportation. The bill is intended to provide federal resources to reduce crime and improve public safety through January 2, 2029, and it has raised significant concerns among District leaders regarding its potential impact on local autonomy and immigration policy.
   
• The federal government is expected to begin removing bike lanes around the National Mall, a move that comes only a few years after their initial construction. According to District Department of Transportation staff and local advocacy groups, the removal focuses on the highly utilized 15th Street bike lane between Constitution Avenue and the Tidal Basin. While most of 15th Street falls under local jurisdiction, this specific portion is located on federal land. The anticipated removal has raised significant safety concerns among residents, as data suggests these lanes have been effective at reducing traffic congestion. In a statement on Friday, Mayor Muriel E. Bowser noted that eliminating these lanes would likely increase conflicts between pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles during one of the busiest times of the year. The Washington Area Bicyclist Association is seeking a temporary restraining order to block the National Park Service and the U.S. Department of Transportation from removing the bike lane, according to the lawsuit filed Monday in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Congress

• On March 17, the House Education and Workforce Committee released a report on antisemitism in higher education following committee investigations and hearings that began in late 2023. The report characterizes campus antisemitism as a systemic issue stemming from university leadership failures, the actions of some faculty and student organizations, and insufficient oversight of U.S. universities’ overseas campuses. It calls on institutions to take stronger action by adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism, reinforcing and consistently enforcing policies governing campus protests, and ensuring university governing boards are actively engaged and intellectually diverse. The report also urges congressional action, including passage of the Civil Rights Protection Act, the DETERRENT Act, and legislation requiring greater transparency around curricula at universities’ international and satellite campuses.

Department of Education 

• The U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the U.S. Department of the Treasury recently announced the Federal Student Assistance Partnership, an interagency agreement designed to restructure the administration of federal student aid. Under the first phase of this plan, the Treasury will assume operational responsibility for collecting defaulted federal student loan debt and provide support to return borrowers to active repayment. Subsequent phases aim to expand the Treasury's role to include the management of non-defaulted student loans and the administration of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The transition is expected to face legal challenges from critics who argue that federal law mandates ED maintain oversight of these programs. This development would have a direct impact on GW students, as the primary authority for loan servicing and aid processing shifts between federal agencies.
   
• ED’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has determined that the District of Columbia Public School System violated Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The investigation found that the District denied students with disabilities a free and appropriate public education by failing to provide timely evaluations and allowing untrained staff to make critical educational decisions. OCR also discovered that services were sometimes removed from student plans due to staff scheduling issues and that the District lacked adequate systems to ensure safe transportation for these students. OCR issued a proposed Resolution Agreement requiring the District to establish a new Disability Services Division responsible for overseeing service provision, revising policies for student identification and placement, and conducting annual training for all relevant staff and administrators.

Partial Government Shutdown

• As negotiations between the White House and Congressional Democrats continue on the partial government shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Trump administration has announced measures to address increasing disruptions to air travel, including deploying ICE agents to airports nationwide to support TSA operations. These deployments have not yet occurred at Washington-area airports. For the latest information regarding federal operating status, please refer to the Office of Personnel Management.

Other Higher Education Institutions

• Harvard: There is more activity between the U.S. government and Harvard University. First, the Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit on March 20 against the university, alleging that it violated students' civil rights under Title VI by "its intentional conduct and its deliberate indifference to discriminatory harassment of Jewish and Israeli students and creation of a hostile educational environment since October 7, 2023, up to the present day." The lawsuit further alleges that Harvard has received grants of federal funds, including from the Department of Health and Human Services, that are "legally binding contracts that require Harvard to comply with Title VI throughout the duration of the grants," and that Harvard's "failure to comply with Title VI is grounds for the United States to rescind grant payments made during the period of noncompliance." DOJ requests that the Court, among other things, order the university to "[i]mpose meaningful disciplinary consequences on students and faculty" who violate "existing restrictions for discriminatory protests and activities that interfere with access to educational opportunities," and "[r]escind and award the United States restitution of all grant payments made to Harvard during the time of Harvard's noncompliance with Title VI."    
  
  In addition, ED announced on March 23 new investigations into Harvard “amid allegations that it continues to discriminate against students on the basis of race, color and national origin.” The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) will investigate complaints that Harvard continues to use race-based preferences in admissions, and it will also investigate alleged ongoing antisemitism. At the same time, OCR issued a Letter of Impending Enforcement Action to Harvard that asked university officials to turn over admissions-related data. ED claims that the university has refused to provide requested information for a review OCR opened in May 2025. The announcement states that the university must provide information within 20 days or “face enforcement action, including referral” to DOJ.
   
• California State University (CSU): The CSU system has declined to meet a federal deadline set by ED demanding that San Jose State University formally acknowledge wrongdoing in allowing a transgender athlete to compete on a women’s volleyball team. Federal officials warned that failure to respond could jeopardize CSU’s federal funding, but CSU leaders said they would not comply with requirements to rewrite athletic records, issue apologies to teammates, or declare that the university recognizes only two sexes. University officials argue that the demands conflict with prior court rulings and existing law, and that responding under those terms would force the system to disavow policies it believes are legally and constitutionally sound.

Resources

GW is committed to supporting our students, faculty and staff through federal changes. Curated resources are available for staying informed and safe, in addition to FAQs addressing the most common topics on students' minds, including interactions with external law enforcement and supporting international community members.

About this Newsletter

GW publishes this weekly Federal Update to inform students, faculty and staff about how developments in the federal government affect higher education generally and the University. This newsletter includes timely information, answers to questions from GW community members, and resources for support.