The Trump administration has filed a federal lawsuit against the University of California, alleging that administrators at UCLA failed to properly address complaints of antisemitism by employees and permitted what it describes as a hostile work environment for Jewish and Israeli staff members in the aftermath of the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza.

The legal action, brought in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, marks a significant escalation in the administration’s scrutiny of the UC system and centers specifically on conduct at UCLA.

According to the Justice Department, the campus has been affected by an ongoing problem of “severe and pervasive” antisemitism. The complaint references pro-Palestinian demonstrations, including a protest in January, that federal officials contend crossed the line into anti-Jewish or anti-Israel activity.

The case was initiated by the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department against the Regents of the University of California. It alleges violations of Title VII, the federal statute that prohibits discrimination in the workplace.

Court records show that the complaint, filed Tuesday, is designated as Case No. 2:26-cv-01946 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

In a statement issued by UCLA, Chancellor Julio Frenk said antisemitism is unacceptable at the university and outlined a series of steps the institution has taken in response. These include strengthening campus safety leadership and coordination, creating an Initiative to Combat Antisemitism, restructuring the Office of Civil Rights, appointing a dedicated Title VI/Title VII officer, tightening time, place, and manner policies, and supporting anti-antisemitism community organizations through the Frankel settlement, under which more than $6 million has been allocated for anti-discrimination reforms.

University officials stated that these initiatives and enforcement measures are having an impact and said UCLA intends to continue defending its record while working to ensure a secure and inclusive campus environment.

The lawsuit comes after a series of civil rights inquiries launched since 2025 involving the UC system or specific campuses. In August, the administration sought nearly $1.2 billion to resolve civil rights investigations connected to UCLA. Those probes included claims related to antisemitism complaints by students and staff, race-based affirmative action policies, and campus policies recognizing transgender individuals’ gender identities.

The newly filed case stems from a federal investigation into workplace antisemitism that began last March. At that time, government lawyers indicated they believed there might be a broader pattern of discrimination affecting Jewish employees.

Attorney General Pam Bondi said the department’s review concluded that UCLA administrators allegedly permitted “virulent anti-Semitism” to take root on campus and said the lawsuit reflects the department’s stance against antisemitism.

In announcing the lawsuit, the Justice Department further alleged that Jewish and Israeli faculty and staff members were subjected to a hostile work environment and that multiple employees felt compelled to take leave, work remotely, or resign from their positions.

At the same time, some protesters and civil liberties advocates maintain that political opposition to Israel must be distinguished from hostility toward Jews as Jews. They argue that backing Palestinian rights, criticizing Israeli government policy, or expressing opposition to Zionism does not automatically constitute antisemitism unless it relies on anti-Jewish tropes, assigns collective blame to Jews, or targets Jewish individuals because of their identity.

Those who draw that distinction often reference the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition, which states that “criticism of Israel similar to that leveled against any other country cannot be regarded as antisemitic.”

{Matzav.com}