A federal judge has dismissed the Justice Department's lawsuit accusing Harvard University of failing to protect Jewish students from antisemitism. The ruling, issued by Judge Richard Stearns, found that the incidents cited by the government were too isolated and episodic to establish a pattern of noncompliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.
The Justice Department filed the lawsuit on March 20, 2026, following a wave of anti-Israel protests on college campuses nationwide in the wake of Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel. The suit alleged that Harvard violated Title VI by demonstrating deliberate indifference to harassment and antisemitism directed at Jewish and Israeli students.
However, Stearns, appointed by President Bill Clinton, stated in his ruling that the Justice Department's complaint did not sufficiently allege that violations persisted after the government formally notified Harvard of its concerns. The department had sent Harvard a warning letter on June 30, 2025, indicating a potential violation of Title VI.
"Without diminishing any concern arising from these occurrences, the court finds them, singly and collectively, to be too isolated and episodic to support a plausible inference that any institutionalized noncompliance with Title VI persists at Harvard to this day," Stearns wrote. The judge specifically noted that the amended complaint did not identify any incidents of noncompliance occurring after the June 30, 2025, warning letter.
The lawsuit highlighted several incidents, including protesters breaching barricades at an event featuring a former Israeli prime minister, a Harvard employee allegedly removing posters of Israeli hostages, and a "die-in" protest outside Widener Library. The Justice Department argued that these events, combined with other alleged failures to address complaints, demonstrated a pattern of noncompliance.
Stearns also rejected the administration's argument that Harvard's refusal to accept every demand in a proposed voluntary agreement indicated a lack of compliance. He clarified that the legal question was whether Harvard was violating Title VI, not whether it was adhering to every specific demand from the administration.
Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Harmeet Dhillon stated, "We disagree with the ruling and are assessing next steps. The Civil Rights Division has an extensive and active portfolio of antisemitism enforcement, including indictments, prosecutions, settlements, and investigations across the country."
The dismissal comes as the Trump administration is pursuing similar lawsuits against the University of California, including at UCLA, concerning alleged discrimination against Jewish and Israeli students, faculty, and staff. These cases also stem from campus protests and encampments that occurred during the 2023-24 academic year.