DOJ cracks down on antisemitism at US colleges: Here's what we know 

The Department of Justice under President Donald J. Trump has deployed a federal task force to 10 prominent universities, signaling a muscular response to a surge of antisemitism that has left Jewish students and faculty reeling on campuses across the United States. The initiative, announced on Saturday, targets institutions where reports of harassment, threats, and unchecked hostility have escalated, raising alarms about the safety of Jewish communities in higher education.

The universities now under federal scrutiny include some of the nation’s most prestigious: Harvard, Columbia, New York University, Johns Hopkins, and the University of California, Berkeley, alongside the University of Southern California, George Washington University, Northwestern University, the University of Minnesota, and UCLA. These schools, long celebrated as bastions of intellectual freedom, have faced growing criticism for failing to curb a wave of antisemitic incidents that intensified after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza.

Attorney General Pam Bondi, a staunch Trump ally, framed the move as a necessary enforcement of federal civil rights laws. “No student should fear for their safety or be targeted for their identity,” she said in a statement. “We’re ensuring that universities uphold their legal obligations.” The task force, composed of federal investigators and legal experts, will examine campus policies, probe administrative responses to antisemitic episodes, and assess compliance with anti-discrimination statutes, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin at federally funded institutions.

A Climate of Fear

The federal intervention comes as Jewish students describe an increasingly hostile environment. At Columbia, swastikas have appeared on campus buildings; at UCLA, pro-Palestinian protests have spilled into confrontations that left Jewish students feeling isolated. Many report hesitating to wear kippahs or Stars of David, fearing verbal or physical reprisals. “It’s not just the rhetoric—it’s the silence from administrators that stings,” said a junior at NYU, who spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear of retaliation.

The surge in tensions traces back to the Israel-Hamas conflict, which has polarized campuses nationwide. Demonstrations supporting Palestinian rights have at times veered into language and actions that Jewish students and advocacy groups call antisemitic, including chants glorifying violence and calls to exclude Zionists from student spaces. University leaders, caught between defending free expression and protecting their communities, have struggled to strike a balance—a vacuum that the Trump administration now seeks to fill.

A Divisive Response

Jewish organizations, including the Anti-Defamation League, have hailed the task force as a long-overdue reckoning. “For too long, universities have turned a blind eye while Jewish students suffer,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, the ADL’s chief executive. “This is about accountability.” But the move has also sparked unease among civil libertarians and some faculty, who warn that federal oversight could chill campus discourse. “The line between policing hate and stifling speech is razor-thin,” said a Columbia professor, who requested anonymity to avoid professional backlash. The DOJ insists its focus is narrow: targeting harassment and violence, not political debate.

The task force’s work begins immediately, with investigators fanning out to assess security measures, review incident reports, and interview students and administrators. Universities found violating federal law could face penalties ranging from mandated reforms to the loss of federal funding—a potent threat for institutions reliant on government grants.

For now, the task force’s arrival marks a rare federal intrusion into the ivory tower, one that could reshape how universities navigate identity, safety, and free speech. As investigations unfold, the nation’s academic elite—and the students they serve—brace for a reckoning that may define campus culture for years to come.

Jewish Breaking News contributed to this article.