The Trump administration has filed a second federal lawsuit against the University of California, Los Angeles, alleging that the institution failed to protect Jewish and Israeli students from harassment during pro-Palestinian protests that swept campuses across the United States in 2024. The lawsuit, filed on Tuesday, accuses UCLA of taking “no serious action whatsoever” to prevent antisemitic conduct linked to demonstrations that followed the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza.
Federal officials argue that the university allowed an environment in which Jewish students faced discrimination and exclusion while campus protests escalated.
The latest legal action comes just four months after the administration launched a separate lawsuit against UCLA alleging antisemitic discrimination against Jewish employees. Both cases stem from the same period of unrest on campus and form part of a wider federal effort targeting universities accused of failing to address antisemitism.
“Universities have an obligation to maintain safe and inclusive campuses for all students,” First Assistant US Attorney Bill Essayli said in a statement announcing the lawsuit. He added that institutions which repeatedly fail to protect Jewish students would be held accountable under federal civil rights laws.
According to the complaint, the government is seeking a declaration that UCLA has been in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 since October 7, 2023. Title VI prohibits discrimination based on race, ethnicity or national origin by institutions receiving federal funding.
Demonstrators gather on the UCLA campus after nighttime clashes between pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian groups.
The lawsuit contends that the university failed to adequately respond to incidents involving Jewish and Israeli students during demonstrations and encampments that emerged on campus during the Israel-Gaza conflict. Federal lawyers argue that these failures amounted to unlawful discrimination under civil rights legislation. The case follows previous pressure from federal officials, including demands that UCLA make major concessions and address concerns linked to campus antisemitism in order to preserve access to research funding.
University officials have strongly disputed the administration’s claims, insisting that UCLA has actively worked to address antisemitism and improve campus safety. Chancellor Julio Frenk rejected suggestions that the university had ignored concerns raised by Jewish students and staff. “Let me be direct: the suggestion that UCLA has been passive in the face of antisemitism is simply wrong,” Frenk said in a statement.
The university says it has implemented a series of reforms over the past year, including the appointment of an associate vice chancellor for campus and community safety, restructuring of the Civil Rights Office, creation of a dedicated Title VI officer position and revisions to campus policies governing discrimination complaints.
Earlier this month, UCLA also announced additional measures aimed specifically at combating antisemitism and strengthening protections for Jewish students.
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