Justice Department Sues UCLA Over Alleged Anti-Semitic Work Environment

Prosecutors allege that no one was disciplined after the university received hundreds of complaints about anti-Semitism.

Pro-Palestinian activists protest against the Israel–Hamas war on the University of California–Los Angeles campus on April 25, 2024. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

The U.S. Justice Department sued the University of California on Feb. 24, alleging that its Los Angeles campus (UCLA) fosters a hostile work environment for Jewish and Israeli faculty and staff in violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The lawsuit claims that UCLA engaged in a pattern of discrimination against Jewish and Israeli staff after the massacre in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, carried out by the Hamas terrorist group. Prosecutors say the institution’s anti-discrimination policy was poorly designed and made it difficult for victims to report hostile work environment claims.

“Based on our investigation, UCLA administrators allegedly allowed virulent anti-Semitism to flourish on campus, harming students and staff alike,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said. “Today’s lawsuit underscores that this Department of Justice stands strong against hate and anti-Semitism.”

The Justice Department claims that UCLA continues to violate civil rights law and “not a single student, staff member, or faculty member was ultimately formally disciplined for antisemitic behavior—including those who were arrested for illegal conduct,” even though UCLA received hundreds of complaints after a pro-Palestinian protest on campus in 2024.

The lawsuit stems from a formal investigation into alleged systemic employment discrimination first filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 2024.

Federal prosecutors say UCLA officials allowed students and faculty to host an outdoor protest in the main quad outside of Royce Hall for several days. Prosecutors allege that Jews were not permitted on portions of the quad, Jewish professors were assaulted, and swastikas were painted on university buildings.

Hundreds of student protesters, sympathizing with Palestinians in the wake of the terrorist attack on Israel and the Israeli military response, set up the encampment on April 26, 2024, after a similar protest collapsed across town at the University of Southern California. The protest caused classes to be canceled. Clashes with police erupted, and about 200 people were arrested a few days later.

“UCLA failed to live up to its systemwide commitment to diversity and equal opportunity when it stood by as Jewish employees were subjected to harassment,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said. “The federal government has an obligation to step in and ensure a discrimination-free environment at our universities.”

UCLA Vice Chancellor Mary Osako responded to the lawsuit on Feb. 24, stating that the institution had taken steps to improve campus safety and policies to combat anti-Semitism.

“As Chancellor [Julio] Frenk has made clear: Antisemitism is abhorrent and has no place at UCLA or anywhere,” Osako said.

She said UCLA recruited an associate vice chancellor for campus and community safety and made investments to enhance coordination, preparedness, and response. The university also established an initiative to combat anti-Semitism with a mandate to make changes throughout the institution.

A protester carries a Palestinian flag at a pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of California–Los Angeles on April 30, 2024. Mario Tama/Getty Images

The university also reorganized its Office of Civil Rights and hired a dedicated Title VI/Title VII officer to ensure professionalized oversight and accountability, according to Osako.

It also adopted stronger policies to protect free expression and campus operations, she said, and is providing support to community organizations that are fighting anti-Semitism, after agreeing to a settlement in a lawsuit filed by Jewish students alleging anti-Semitic activities during pro-Palestinian protests in 2024.

“These ongoing and long-standing institutional efforts, including clear expectations and a commitment to enforcement, are working,” Osako said. “We stand firmly by the decisive actions we have taken to combat antisemitism in all its forms, and we will vigorously defend our efforts and our unwavering commitment to providing a safe, inclusive environment for all members of our community.”

University of California–Los Angeles students protest the Israel–Hamas conflict on campus in Los Angeles on April 25, 2024. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

The lawsuit is the latest action taken by the Trump administration against UCLA in response to the pro-Palestinian protests on campus.

In August 2025, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division issued a notice of violation to UCLA.

The department accused the university of violating the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by creating a hostile educational environment for Jewish and Israeli students by failing to disband the encampment.

The administration suspended $584 million in federal research grants to the university.