Justice Department Appeals Dismissal of Harvard Antisemitism Lawsuit

The United States Department of Justice filed a notice on Thursday to appeal a federal judge's dismissal of a lawsuit against Harvard University. The original legal action, initiated in March, alleged that the university illegally tolerated antisemitism and discrimination against Jews and Israelis by allowing protesters of the war in Gaza to defy campus rules with impunity.

On August 13, Judge Richard G. Stearns dismissed the case, ruling that the government's evidence relied on accounts that were too isolated and episodic to prove a violation of civil rights law. Judge Stearns stated that the administration failed to establish a plausible inference of institutionalized noncompliance with Title VI.

The Trump administration previously indicated it intended to use a favorable ruling in the case to curb federal funding to the university.