US Justice Department sues UCLA over campus antisemitism allegations

The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), accusing the institution of fostering a hostile educational environment for Jewish and Israeli students. The suit alleges that UCLA has violated a federal law prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in programs receiving federal funding.

According to the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, the university has demonstrated "deliberate indifference to the pervasive antisemitism on campus." Bill Essayli, the First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, stated, "Universities have an obligation to ensure a safe and inclusive campus for all students." The lawsuit specifically addresses a protest camp established on campus in April 2024, which the Justice Department deemed illegal and claimed led to attacks on Jewish students.

“

Universities have an obligation to ensure a safe and inclusive campus for all students.

"Universities that violate our nation's civil rights laws by repeatedly failing to protect Jewish students from antisemitism will be held accountable," Essayli asserted. UCLA has not yet issued a statement regarding the lawsuit.

The announcement of the lawsuit comes a week after a federal appeals court partially upheld an injunction requiring the government to restore funding to UCLA. This funding had been suspended by the Trump administration, citing the university's support for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs. This legal move is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to address antisemitism on U.S. university campuses, a concern that has heightened since the Hamas attack in 2023, which triggered widespread student protests and building occupations across the U.S. and Europe.

“

Universities that violate our nation's civil rights laws by repeatedly failing to protect Jewish students from antisemitism will be held accountable.