Justice Dept. to Investigate U.C. System Over Allegations of Antisemitism

The Trump administration announced on Wednesday that it would invoke a law traditionally used to investigate racial discrimination within police departments to examine whether the University of California system has engaged in a pattern or practice of antisemitic discrimination.

This decision by the Justice Department comes just two days after other federal agencies launched a review of Columbia University’s federal contracts to assess whether funding should be revoked due to alleged failures in protecting Jewish students and faculty on campus.

President Trump has consistently criticized American colleges and universities for their handling of on-campus protests against Israel’s military actions in Gaza.

Some Jewish faculty and staff have expressed concerns that these protests, some of which included antisemitic rhetoric, have created a hostile environment, making them feel harassed and obstructing their ability to move freely around campus.

“The Department of Justice will always stand in defense of Jewish Americans, safeguard civil rights, and use our resources to eliminate institutional antisemitism in the nation’s universities,” Attorney General Pam Bondi stated.

In response, the University of California system affirmed its stance against antisemitism, stating that it remains “steadfast in its commitment to combating antisemitism and ensuring the protection of everyone’s civil rights. We continue to implement targeted measures to foster an environment free from harassment and discrimination for all members of the university community.”

The Justice Department’s pattern or practice investigations do not focus on individual criminal offenses but rather examine whether institutions systematically permit or promote discrimination against specific groups. Historically, this law has been used to scrutinize local and state police departments for discriminatory practices against people of color.

Such investigations often lead to settlements requiring the institution under review to implement policy and training reforms to eliminate discriminatory practices.

Republican administrations typically adopt a more restrained approach to these inquiries than Democratic administrations. In fact, the Trump administration had halted such investigations earlier in the year. However, by applying this law to a university system instead of a police department, the administration reinforces Trump’s campaign assertion that Democrats have fostered discrimination against white individuals.

Last month, the Department of Education initiated investigations into alleged “widespread antisemitism” at five universities: Columbia, Northwestern, Portland State, the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Minnesota.

During a recent confirmation hearing for Education Secretary Linda McMahon, Senator Bill Cassidy, a Republican from Louisiana and chair of the Senate education committee, urged her to prioritize addressing what he described as a backlog of antisemitism complaints within the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights. “I’d look forward to doing that,” McMahon responded. She was confirmed on Monday.

On Tuesday morning, Trump reiterated his stance on pro-Palestinian demonstrations through a post on his social media platform, emphasizing what he deemed suitable consequences.

“All Federal Funding will STOP for any College, School, or University that allows illegal protests,” Trump wrote. He further stated that demonstrators would be “imprisoned/or permanently sent back to the country from which they came,” while American students would face permanent expulsion or even arrest.

The Justice Department’s inquiry will seek to determine whether the University of California system has violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, or religion. This law grants the Justice Department authority to investigate state and local government employers if there is reason to believe systemic discrimination is taking place.

As part of its broader efforts to combat antisemitism, the Trump administration established a multiagency task force. The actions taken this week mark the task force’s first significant initiatives. Last month, officials announced that members of the task force would visit 10 universities across the country to discuss concerns regarding antisemitism affecting students and faculty.

On Monday, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education identified approximately $51.4 million in federal contracts with Columbia University that could be revoked due to what the Trump administration described as the school’s “ongoing failure to address the persistent harassment of Jewish students.”

Columbia responded on Monday evening, stating that it was reviewing the federal government’s decision and looked forward “to continued collaboration with the new administration to combat antisemitism.”

According to Columbia’s 2024 financial reports, federal funding accounts for over a quarter of the university’s $6.6 billion annual operating revenue, with a substantial portion allocated to research grants.