Federal Judge Rules to Restore National Endowment for the Humanities Funding In Historic Case

This afternoon US District Judge Colleen McMahon ruled that the mass termination by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) of more than 1,400 grants to support scholars, research institutions, and humanities organizations was “unlawful, unconstitutional, ultra vires, and without legal effect.”

In the 143-page decision, McMahon granted the March 7, 2026, motion for a summary judgment on all counts in favor of the plaintiffs: ACLS, the American Historical Association (AHA), and the Modern Language Association of America (MLA). Read the judgment.

The ruling declared the actions terminating the grants in April 2025, the largest mass termination of previously awarded grants in the history of the NEH, were “in violation of the First Amendment, in violation of the equal protection component of the Fifth Amendment, and without statutory authority.”

The following statements were issued by the plaintiffs in response:

“This victory belongs to the scholars, students, colleges, universities, associations, state humanities councils, libraries, and local organizations in all fifty states whose work was abruptly disrupted last year. ACLS will continue to press for the full restoration of NEH’s staff, programs, and capacity to serve the public it was created to support,” said ACLS President Joy Connolly. “The humanities are not a luxury. They are how a democracy understands itself. Today’s decision is a step toward honoring the will of Congress and our mission as a nation — to seek the truth, know ourselves, and build a better future on that knowledge.”

“This ruling in an important achievement in our effort to restore the NEH’s ability to fulfill the vital mission with which Congress charged it: helping to create and sustain ‘a climate encouraging freedom of thought, imagination, and inquiry’ through the humanities,” said Sarah Weicksel, executive director of the American Historical Association. “It is a victory not only for the educators, researchers, humanities organizations, universities, and state councils whose grants were terminated, but for all Americans. From history exhibitions and pathbreaking scholarship to library programs and professional development opportunities, the humanities help us understand our past and ourselves, providing all of us with essential tools for our future.”

“We’re thrilled with this ruling, which confirms the illegality of DOGE’s termination of over 1,400 grants,” said MLA Executive Director Paula M. Krebs. “The National Endowment for the Humanities was established to affirm the nation’s commitment to research that helps us to make sense of the world we live in and the scholars who help us to understand our own culture and those of others. In a time when it is increasingly urgent to provide a human context for decisions in science, tech, health, and more, we now have a confirmation that the work our members do is essential.”

Media Contacts:

Heather Mangrum, ACLS Chief Communications Officer, [email protected]
Alexandra Levy, AHA Director of Communications & Public Affairs, [email protected]
Anna Chang, MLA Director of Outreach, [email protected]