The Department of Justice has launched a civil rights investigation into the University of California system, following allegations of an antisemitic environment on its campuses. The inquiry will focus on whether there was a “pattern or practice of discrimination” against Jewish professors and staff across the University of California’s 10 campuses, especially in the aftermath of student protests related to the Israel-Hamas War.
This investigation is part of broader efforts by the Trump administration and other conservative leaders to scrutinize how universities have handled protests criticizing U.S. support for Israel. It follows a recent announcement that the Department of Justice is reviewing Columbia University’s federal contracts over similar allegations of antisemitism.
Attorney General Pam Bondi emphasized the Department’s commitment to defending Jewish Americans and eradicating institutional antisemitism in U.S. universities, stating, “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.”
In response, a University of California spokesperson, Stett Holbrook, told Reuters that the school had been notified of the investigation and remains “unwavering in its commitment to combating antisemitism and protecting everyone’s civil rights.”
Protests erupted on college campuses, including several University of California locations, last spring, as students raised concerns about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The protests called for a ceasefire in the conflict and for universities to sever ties with Israeli firms involved in the war.
Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the investigation will focus on whether these protests led to employment discrimination or created a hostile work environment for Jewish faculty and staff. Leo Terrel, senior counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights and a member of the Federal Task Force to Combat Antisemitism, emphasized that while much attention has been given to the impact of these protests on students, Jewish faculty and staff also deserve a workplace free from antisemitism and hostility.