Judge dismisses Trump administration lawsuit against Harvard over student harassment claims

A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit brought by the Trump administration against Harvard University, which accused the institution of failing to protect Jewish and Israeli students from harassment. US District Judge Richard Stearns stated in his ruling that the government's case did not sufficiently demonstrate an ongoing violation of federal civil rights law at the university.

The lawsuit, filed in March, primarily focused on incidents that occurred during protests related to the war in Gaza during the 2023-24 academic year. Judge Stearns noted that the few incidents alleged after that period were too isolated to support a claim of continuous civil rights violations.

The ruling also indicated that the lawsuit did not adequately detail Harvard's failures after the government notified the university in June 2025 about its non-compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This law prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in federally funded programs. Neither the White House nor Harvard immediately responded to requests for comment.