Department of Justice investigates allegations of antisemitism at the University of California

The Department of Justice (DOJ) launched a civil rights investigation to determine whether the University of California allowed a hostile work environment for its Jewish employees by failing to address allegations of antisemitism adequately.

The investigation is under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits employment discrimination based on race, religion or national origin. According to the DOJ, the goal is to establish whether the university engaged in a pattern of omission in the face of incidents of antisemitism on its various campuses.

Reactions from the government and federal authorities

Leo Terrell, an advisor to the Federal Task Force to Combat Antisemitism, linked this move to an increase in attacks against the Jewish community at universities following the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023. In his statement, he noted that the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) has been one of the epicenters of these events.

For her part, Attorney General Pam Bondi assured that the DOJ will act firmly to root out antisemitism in higher education. "This Department of Justice will always defend Jewish Americans, protect civil rights, and leverage our resources to eradicate institutional Antisemitism in our nation’s universities," she said.

University of California response

In a statement sent to the media, the University of California confirmed that it was notified about the investigation and defended its policies against antisemitism. The institution reaffirmed its "unwavering commitment" to protecting civil rights and assured that it continues to take steps to maintain an academic and work environment free of discrimination.

Increased federal pressure on universities

The opening of this investigation comes against a backdrop of increased government pressure on universities over their response to allegations of antisemitism. Recently, the Department of Justice announced that its federal antisemitism task force will visit ten universities where incidents have been reported since the Hamas attacks in Israel on October 7, 2023. Leo Terrell says these visits are part of a broader government effort to root out antisemitism in educational settings.

In parallel, the Trump administration announced an end to federal funding to schools, colleges and universities that allow "illegal protests" to take place in the context of the conflict in Gaza.