Trump administration sues UCLA for tolerating alleged discrimination against Jewish and Israeli students

The Department of Justice (DOJ) sued the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) for allegedly creating an "antisemitic" educational environment. This was reported by the agency headed by acting Attorney General Todd Blanche in a statement.

According to the complaint, the DOJ points to a "deliberate indifference to race and national origin discrimination against Jewish and Israeli students" on the UCLA campus, which would be a violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

According to the cited statute, "no person in the United States shall, on the ground of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance."

Specifically, the lawsuit cites alleged inaction by the university in the face of discrimination suffered by Jewish and Israeli students following the October 7, 2023, attacks. It further alleges that UCLA certified to the federal government that it complied with Title VI anti-discrimination regulations, while allegedly allowing Jewish and Israeli students to face situations of violence and discrimination on campus. This scenario would involve a violation of its funding and grant contracts with the government.

"Earlier this year, we sued UCLA for subjecting its Jewish and Israeli employees to an antisemitic hostile work environment," Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the DOJ's Civil Rights Division said in this regard. "Now, the Department of Justice calls UCLA to account for its toleration of the equally appalling hostile educational environment against its Jewish and Israeli students," she added.

The statement specifically mentions events in April 2024, when masked protesters set up an encampment in front of Royce Hall. It claims that the protesters formed "human phalanxes" to block Jewish and Israeli students' access to academic buildings.

The lawsuit has already been filed with the Central District of California and is the result of a DOJ investigation into allegations of antisemitic incidents on the UCLA campus.