Federal Judge Dismisses Trump Administration Antisemitism Lawsuit Against Harvard

A federal judge on Thursday dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Trump administration against Harvard University, ruling that the government failed to prove the institution was engaged in ongoing civil rights violations related to antisemitism. The decision marks a significant legal setback for the administration's broader campaign against the Ivy League school.

U.S. District Judge Richard Stearns, in a four-page opinion, granted Harvard's motion to dismiss the case. He concluded that the Department of Justice did not sufficiently demonstrate that Harvard was in continuous noncompliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in federally funded programs. The judge emphasized that the law's intent is to incentivize institutions to correct issues, not to penalize past behavior.

The lawsuit, filed in March 2026, accused Harvard of fostering a hostile environment for Jewish students during pro-Palestinian protests that followed the October 7, 2023, attacks in Israel. The Justice Department alleged the university tolerated antisemitic conduct and failed to enforce its own rules, thereby breaching its...