US DOJ finds UCLA violated Title VI over increased hostility toward Jewish and Israeli students

(The Center Square) - The U.S. Department of Justice announced this week that the University of California, Los Angeles was found in violation of Title VI over increased hostility on campus toward Jewish and Israeli students.

In a letter addressed to University of California President Michael Drake, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said that UCLA violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 for “acting with deliberate indifference in creating a hostile educational environment for Jewish and Israeli students.”

The DOJ claimed its investigation, launched back in May, found UCLA failed to respond to complaints from Jewish and Israeli students who faced severe harassment and abuse on campus.

Southern California college campuses have been riddled with pro-Palestine protests since Oct. 7, 2023 and the start of the Israel-Hamas War.

“Our investigation into the University of California system has found concerning evidence of systemic anti-Semitism at UCLA that demands severe accountability from the institution,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a statement. “This disgusting breach of civil rights against students will not stand: DOJ will force UCLA to pay a heavy price for putting Jewish Americans at risk and continue our ongoing investigations into other campuses in the UC system.”

Other organizations are also in support of holding UCLA accountable, stating that the law is objective.

“Defending Education applauds the Department of Justice’s work holding UCLA accountable for failing to correct the discrimination, abuse and harassment of Jewish and Israeli students on its campus from October 7, 2023, onward,” said Sarah Parshall Perry, Defending Education vice president and a legal fellow. “Title VI exists to prevent just such race-based discrimination and rampant anti-semitism. Our system of laws must be applied in a color-blind, race-neutral fashion, if it is to work at all.

In its statement, the DOJ noted the Civil Rights Division enforces laws to protect students from discrimination based on religion, nationality and other characteristics.

“UCLA failed to take timely and appropriate action in response to credible claims of harm and hostility on its campus,” said Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Its inaction constitutes a clear violation of our federal civil rights laws, and the Justice Department will hold UCLA accountable to their legal obligations so that all students can have equal protection under the law.”

The Center Square reached out to UCLA for comment but did not receive a response.