Judge nixes Trump lawsuit alleging Harvard did not protect Jewish students

A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Trump administration alleging Harvard University failed to protect Jewish students from antisemitism during pro-Gaza protests. The lawsuit, filed in March, claimed Harvard violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act by not adequately addressing discrimination against Jewish and Israeli students. Judge Richard Stearns ruled that the incidents cited were too isolated to prove ongoing civil rights violations. This decision represents a setback for the Trump administration's broader response to campus protests, which has included attempts to freeze federal funding to universities. Critics argue the administration has conflated criticism of Israel with antisemitism and used isolated incidents to suppress pro-Palestinian speech.

A federal judge in Boston has dismissed a Trump administration lawsuit that accused Harvard University of failing to address antisemitism and harassment of Jewish students. U.S. District Judge Richard G. Stearns ruled that the administration did not prove an ongoing violation of federal civil rights laws, stating the incidents cited were too isolated. The lawsuit, filed in March, alleged Harvard ignored harassment during pro-Palestinian demonstrations following the October 7, 2023, attacks. The government sought to recover billions in federal research grants. This dismissal is part of broader actions taken by the Trump administration against Harvard, including attempts to cut research funding and limit enrollment. A previous ruling found the administration's funding cuts unconstitutional.

A federal judge in Boston has dismissed the Trump administration's lawsuit against Harvard University. The lawsuit, filed in March, claimed Harvard failed to protect Jewish and Israeli students from harassment following the war in Gaza. US District Judge Richard Stearns ruled that the administration did not plausibly show an ongoing violation of federal civil rights law. The judge found the alleged incidents cited by the administration were too isolated and episodic to support such a claim. Stearns also stated that Title VI of the Civil Rights Act is intended to incentivize compliance, not penalize past actions, and the complaint lacked evidence of noncompliance after Harvard was put on notice.