Federal civil rights officials have taken legal action against the University of California Los Angeles, claiming the school allowed a dangerous atmosphere for Jewish and Israeli students to persist on campus.
The Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice filed the federal lawsuit on Tuesday, charging that UCLA violated Title VI, the federal statute that bars discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in programs receiving federal funding. Officials accused the university of showing “deliberate indifference to this pervasive on-campus antisemitism.”
The legal complaint focuses on an unauthorized encampment established on UCLA’s campus during April 2024. Federal prosecutors characterized this encampment as unlawful and claim that Jewish students faced physical attacks during this period.
“Universities have an obligation to maintain safe and inclusive campuses for all students,” stated Bill Essayli, the first assistant U.S. attorney for the Central District of California.
“Universities that violate our nation’s civil rights laws by repeatedly failing to shield Jewish students from antisemitism will be held accountable.”
UCLA officials had not provided a response when contacted for comment about the lawsuit.
The Justice Department revealed this legal action on the same day that a federal appeals court partially supported an injunction requiring the restoration of University of California grants that the Trump administration had cancelled last year due to concerns about diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
This lawsuit represents another enforcement action by the Trump administration targeting what officials characterize as antisemitism at American universities following the October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas against Israel.
The 2023 assault killed more than 1,200 people and sparked the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict. The war has claimed over 75,000 lives to date.
Student activists across the United States and Europe organized protests following the outbreak of war, demanding an end to hostilities through a ceasefire. Some demonstrations involved students taking over university buildings.
