Justice Department Sues UCLA Over Alleged Antisemitism

The Trump administration accused the university of not doing enough to curb antisemitism on campus.

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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The Justice Department has sued the University of California, Los Angeles, accusing the campus of endemic antisemitism that compromised the civil rights of Jewish employees. The lawsuit represents an escalation in the long-running dispute between the Trump administration and the university system, one of the nation's largest and most prestigious.

Why it matters

The lawsuit highlights ongoing tensions between the federal government and universities over issues of discrimination and civil rights on college campuses. It also raises questions about the Trump administration's approach to addressing allegations of antisemitism.

The details

Last summer, the Justice Department threatened to sue the UC system unless it agreed to a range of policy concessions and payments that would have amounted to more than $1 billion. The university system did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the latest lawsuit.

  • The Justice Department sued the University of California on Tuesday, February 24, 2026.

The players

University of California, Los Angeles

One of the nation's largest and most prestigious public university systems.

Trump administration

The federal government under the leadership of former President Donald Trump.

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What’s next

The university system is expected to respond to the lawsuit in the coming days.

The takeaway

This lawsuit highlights the ongoing tensions between the federal government and universities over issues of discrimination and civil rights on college campuses, and raises questions about the Trump administration's approach to addressing allegations of antisemitism.