Judge Dismisses Trump Administration Antisemitism Lawsuit Against Harvard University

A federal judge in Boston on Thursday dismissed a Trump administration lawsuit that accused Harvard University of failing to protect Jewish students from harassment.

U.S. District Judge Richard G. Stearns ruled that the Trump administration failed to prove an ongoing violation of federal civil rights laws. The lawsuit, filed in March, primarily focused on incidents from the 2023-24 academic year, with only a few alleged in March 2025. Judge Stearns found these cases too isolated and episodic to support a plausible inference of persistent institutionalized noncompliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The Department of Justice stated it disagrees with the ruling and is assessing next steps. Harvard did not immediately provide a comment. The lawsuit sought to recover billions of dollars in federal research grants awarded to Harvard since October 2023, arguing the university's intentional conduct and its deliberate indifference created a hostile educational environment for Jewish and Israeli students following Hamas' October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel.

Harvard, in a statement after the lawsuit was filed, affirmed its commitment to ensuring its Jewish and Israeli community is embraced and can thrive. Harvard President Alan M. Garber stated the university formed a task force to combat antisemitism, hired new provosts and deans, and reformed discipline policies. The judge also noted that federal law requires the government to notify an institution of noncompliance and attempt voluntary resolution before legal action, and the lawsuit lacked allegations of noncompliance after the government's June 30, 2025, notice to Harvard.