Trump Administration DOJ Antisemitism Probes at Ivy League Universities

A whistle-blower complaint released to congressional committees alleges that the Department of Justice (DOJ) pursued antisemitism investigations at Harvard, Columbia and Brown with “predetermined, outcome-driven” goals. DOJ attorneys temporarily assigned to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) were instructed to pressure the schools into settlements that would force them to return federal grant money, even when investigators found no evidence of Title VI violations.

The Hill

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of race or national origin in programs receiving federal funds. In 2025 the Trump administration created a task force to examine alleged antisemitism at medical schools, later expanding the probe to the universities as a whole. The effort coincided with broader administration actions that linked civil-rights enforcement to political objectives, as described in the whistle-blower’s filing.

The Hill

• Haley Van Erem – former DOJ civil-rights attorney, author of the complaint.

The Hill

• Rep. Jamie Raskin – top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, condemned the investigations as a “sham.”

The Hill

• Daniel Shieh – associate deputy director for the Office for Civil Rights at HHS, cited for describing settlement strategies.

The Hill

• Harmeet Dhillon – assistant attorney general for civil rights, recipient of Raskin’s letter demanding documents.

The Hill

• Brown, Columbia, Harvard – the three Ivy League institutions targeted.

New York Times

• 2025 – DOJ attorneys reassigned to HHS to investigate alleged Title VI violations at medical schools.

The Hill

• April 2025 – Administration blocks more than $500 million in federal grants to Brown.

New York Times

• Later 2025 – Whistle-blower attorneys raise concerns that the investigations lack factual basis.

The Hill

• August 2026 – Complaint released publicly by the House Judiciary Committee.

New York Times

• 2026 – Columbia and Brown settle for $220 million and $50 million respectively; Harvard wins a court dismissal and continues to contest funding issues.

New York Times

• $500 million+ – Federal grant amount blocked for Brown.

New York Times

• $220 million – Settlement paid by Columbia.

New York Times

• $50 million – Settlement paid by Brown.

New York Times

The allegations suggest federal civil-rights statutes may be used to achieve political ends, potentially chilling academic freedom and free-speech protections on campuses. If settlements are driven by predetermined goals rather than evidence, the precedent could reshape Title VI enforcement at other federally funded institutions.

The Hill

The Department of Health and Human Services did not immediately comment on the allegations.

The Hill

The dispute centers on whether Van Erem actually participated in the university investigations. The complaint states she was assigned to HHS for the probes, while the DOJ’s response denies any such involvement. The universities have not provided comment, leaving gaps in verification of settlement terms and the factual basis for the original Title VI inquiries.

The Hill

Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee plan to issue subpoenas for interviews, internal memos and communications concerning the antisemitism investigations. The oversight effort is expected to continue throughout the current congressional session.

Here’s what Democrats will investigate if they win in November