DOJ Probes Anti-Semitism Claims Against University of California

A civil rights task force is visiting college campuses facing anti-Semitism allegations, including UCLA and UC Berkeley.

Pro-Palestinian protesters rebuild the barricade surrounding their encampment at UCLA on May 1, 2024. Etienne Laurent/AFP via Getty Images

The U.S. Department of Justice has launched a civil rights investigation into allegations of anti-Semitism within the University of California (UC) system, citing concerns over a “potential pattern” of discrimination against Jewish employees.

On March 5, the department said its attorneys believe the UC system has allowed “an anti-Semitic hostile work environment to exist” across its campuses in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war.

“Following the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terror attacks in Israel, there has been an outbreak of anti-Semitic incidents at leading institutions of higher education in America, including at my own alma mater at the UCLA campus of UC,” Leo Terrell, a leading member of the Federal Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism and a senior counsel in the DOJ’s civil rights division, said in the release.

Attorney General Pam Bondi added that her department “will always defend Jewish Americans, protect civil rights, and leverage our resources to eradicate institutional anti-Semitism in our nation’s universities.”

The DOJ did not specify particular incidents or name UC campuses aside from briefly mentioning UCLA.

The UC investigation is part of the Trump administration’s broader effort to hold universities accountable for what it sees as a failure to address anti-Semitism. It follows a Jan. 30 executive order in which Trump vowed to “marshal all federal resources to combat the explosion of anti-Semitism on our campuses and in our streets.”

Tensions have escalated across UC schools amid a surge in pro-Palestinian demonstrations following the outbreak of the Israel-Gaza war. Last spring, protest tents and barricades emerged at all 10 UC campuses, including UCLA, where violence erupted between pro-Palestinian demonstrators and pro-Israel counter-protesters attempting to dismantle their so-called “solidarity encampment.”

Some protesters at UCLA were accused of using anti-Semitic slogans and signage, as well as setting up campus checkpoints where Jewish students were allegedly pressured to voice support for the Palestinian cause before being allowed to pass. The demonstrators, however, said that their protests targeted UC’s financial ties to Israel, not Jewish individuals.

Last week, the DOJ announced that a federal task force would visit 10 university campuses facing anti-Semitism allegations, including UCLA, UC Berkeley, and the University of Southern California. Terrell said he will be meeting with university administrators, students and staff, and local law enforcement as part of each campus visit.

A spokesperson for UC reaffirmed the system’s commitment to combating all forms of hate.

“We want to be clear: The University of California is unwavering in its commitment to combating anti-Semitism and protecting everyone’s civil rights,” the spokesperson said in a statement to The Epoch Times. “We continue to take specific steps to foster an environment free of harassment and discrimination for everyone in the university community.”

In December, UC reached a settlement with the Department of Education under former President Joe Biden, resolving a series of federal civil rights complaints related to pro-Palestinian protests.

As part of the settlement, UC leaders did not admit to any wrongdoing but agreed to provide training for campus police officers and employees responsible for handling discrimination complaints.

Additionally, UC promised to develop a plan for conducting “climate surveys” across its campuses to assess the extent to which students experience or witness discrimination, including harassment based on race, color, or national origin.