UCLA has acknowledged that some university employees were exposed to antisemitism on campus, even as it urges a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit filed by the Trump administration that accuses the school of failing to address hate speech.
In a filing submitted to U.S. District Judge Christina Snyder, UCLA's lawyers stated, "There is no question that some University employees were exposed to antisemitism on campus." They further argued that the university "has responded—and will continue to respond—to antisemitism, regardless of the outcome of this lawsuit." However, the university contends that the "legal claims raised in this litigation are flawed for numerous reasons and should be dismissed."
UCLA is seeking to have the Justice Department's case dismissed "with prejudice," meaning it cannot be refiled. The university asserts that it cannot be held legally responsible for harassment perpetrated by protesters, students, and external individuals over whom it lacks control. UCLA's legal team described the government's theory of liability as one that "stretches the law beyond recognition."
The university explicitly denied that it intentionally disregarded the harassment of Jewish and Israeli employees. UCLA also argued that the federal government's own claims, which characterized UCLA's actions as merely negligent, meant the government had "pleaded itself out of court." The Justice Department indicated it "will respond to UCLA’s motion in court."
UCLA also challenged the specific claims brought against individuals, noting that out of over 55,000 faculty and staff, the Department of Justice's suit focused on only two employees, Drs. Shamsa and Holloway. According to the university's filing, Dr. Kamran Shamsa received financial compensation through a settlement in a separate antisemitism lawsuit against UCLA in 2025, and that agreement reportedly bars his current claims. The university also noted that Shamsa attended protests during his work breaks and away from his medical school workplace.
Regarding Professor Ian Holloway, UCLA stated that an email sent to his department announcing his discrimination complaint was a standard, legally required request to preserve records. The university also contested claims by two other plaintiffs, asserting one is a professor emeritus who retired in 2004, and the other is an unpaid volunteer, neither of whom were employees at the time of the alleged harassment.
UCLA criticized the Trump administration's action of suspending $584 million in federal funding to the university, calling it an "unlawful tactic" and accusing the federal government of "retaliatory defundings." The university highlighted its improved standing on the Anti-Defamation League's campus antisemitism report card, moving from a "D" to a "B." UCLA also pointed to a recent federal judge's dismissal of similar claims for injunctive relief against Harvard University.
In response to a request for comment, UCLA referred to its motion and emphasized the "strong actions to combat antisemitism" taken over the past three years. The university noted initiatives under Chancellor Julio Frenk, including an Initiative to Combat Antisemitism that released a roadmap in May 2026, a reorganized civil rights office, a new campus safety chief, and a dedicated Title VI officer. UCLA also pointed out its suspension of the student groups Students for Justice in Palestine and Graduate Students for Justice in Palestine in February 2025.
The university also presented support from Jewish allies, including a public letter signed by over 130 Jewish UCLA faculty and staff opposing the DOJ lawsuit. ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt has also publicly commended the school's progress in addressing antisemitism.