The United States Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), alleging that the institution created a hostile work environment for Jewish and Israeli faculty and staff following pro-Palestinian protests on campus.
The lawsuit, announced on Tuesday, claims UCLA violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act by failing to prevent and correct discriminatory and harassing conduct after the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza. Attorney General Pam Bondi stated that “UCLA administrators allegedly allowed virulent anti-Semitism to flourish on campus.”
This action marks the latest move by the Trump administration against a US university, intensifying its feud with California. Since assuming office, President Trump’s administration has launched investigations, filed lawsuits, and frozen grant funding to universities over issues including diversity, equity, inclusion, and transgender policies. Last summer, the administration ordered UCLA to pay a $1bn fine related to a pro-Palestine encampment, though a judge later blocked the order.
In December, nine Justice Department attorneys told the Los Angeles Times they felt pressured by the Trump administration to accuse the University of California system of discriminating against Jewish students and faculty. Former DOJ lawyer Jen Swedish said “political appointees essentially determined the outcome almost before the investigation had even started.”
UCLA previously agreed to pay $6.5m in July to settle a lawsuit from Jewish students and a professor, admitting it had “fallen short.” The university also faces a separate lawsuit from pro-Palestinian protesters alleging failure to protect them from wrongful arrests and excessive force during demonstrations in April 2024.
