A task force established by the Trump administration to combat antisemitism pressured Ivy League universities into settling investigations that were allegedly rushed, incomplete, or lacked evidence of legal violations, according to a whistleblower disclosure obtained by The Associated Press.
The complaint, filed by former Justice Department attorney Haley Van Erem, alleges that the investigations into prestigious academic institutions were designed to "strong-arm" schools into settlements for political purposes. The outcomes, the complaint states, were "predetermined, without regard to the evidence" as part of a "politically mandated effort" to extract funds through settlement demands and funding freezes under the guise of addressing antisemitism.
The multi-agency task force, initiated by the Justice Department in February 2025 under then-Attorney General Pam Bondi, was characterized by "extraordinary procedural irregularities, predetermined outcomes without factual or legal support" and a disregard for the law, according to Van Erem's lawyers.
These allegations surface amid renewed attention to antisemitism on college campuses, particularly during protests related to Israel's war in Gaza. While the Trump administration aimed to root out antisemitism, critics have argued its approach infringed on free speech and coerced concessions from institutions. U.S. Representative Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, called the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division's investigation into antisemitism at colleges "fake, a pre-baked frame-up operation thoroughly political in nature."
Van Erem reportedly spent nearly a decade in the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division before being reassigned to the Department of Health and Human Services to work on Title VI investigations. Initially focused on allegations at medical school commencement ceremonies, the inquiries later expanded to encompass entire universities like Columbia and Brown. The complaint also claims that "officials targeted some Middle East Studies faculty for the content of their work and other professors for their Muslim faith."
Van Erem left the Justice Department in May 2025, stating she was "unwilling to be made vulnerable to further participation in politically motivated investigations unsupported by facts and contrary to law."
A Justice Department spokesperson asserted that the department "stands behind the integrity" of its investigations. A spokesperson for the Health and Human Services Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Regarding specific universities, the complaint details that investigators did not find evidence to support a Title VI violation in the case of Brown University. Despite this, leadership allegedly refused to issue a notice of no violation and instead sought a settlement. For Columbia University, while evidence of discrimination was found, the investigation was conducted on an accelerated timeline, relying on allegations from news reports or litigation filings, or those implicating First Amendment activity.
Columbia University ultimately agreed to pay $200 million to restore access to federal funding. Brown University separately agreed to pay $50 million to Rhode Island workforce development organizations to end federal investigations into allegations of antisemitism and racial bias in admissions, without any findings of wrongdoing.
In the investigation into Harvard University, officials reportedly discussed "extraordinary funding freezes and sweeping proposed settlement terms" before the investigation was complete. Sean Keveney, then-HHS acting general counsel, reportedly believed Harvard would settle because they were "over a barrel."
Last year, a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to reverse cuts of over $2.6 billion in research funding to Harvard, stating the government had "used antisemitism as a smokescreen for a targeted, ideologically-motivated assault on this country’s premier universities." A separate judge dismissed a Trump administration lawsuit accusing Harvard of ignoring harassment of Jewish students.