The US government, under the presidency of Donald Trump, officially accused Harvard University of violating the civil rights of Jewish and Israeli students. The prosecution was made through a letter sent to the institution, according to The Wall Street Journal, and may result in the total blockade of federal resources for the university. The document points out failures in conducting the university response to pro-Palestinian protests that occurred in 2024.
According to the federal task force responsible for the investigation, coordinated by the Department of Health and Human Services, Harvard would have acted “insufficient and late” to protect Jewish students during protests that criticized Israeli military actions in the Gaza Strip. The letter accuses the University of being “deliberately indifferent” in some cases and, in others, having actively participated in anti -Semitic harassment. The government also pointed out that part of the Jewish students reported not to feel physically safe on the campus.
Harvard University positioned itself against the White House allegations. The institution said it vehemently disagree with government conclusions and stated that it was adopting concrete measures to combat anti -Semitism within its community. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that by violating civil rights legislation, Harvard should not continue to receive money from taxpayers.
The dispute between the government and the university takes place in the midst of a broader campaign of Trump management against Higher Education Institutions in the United States. Other universities have also been investigated by policies related to diversity and inclusion. In addition, Harvard even sued the internal security department to prevent actions that would make it difficult to enter foreign students, claiming that measures are illegal and unconstitutional.
