Federal judge dismisses Trump administration lawsuit against Harvard over alleged antisemitism
U.S. District Judge Richard G. Stearns ruled that the Justice Department failed to demonstrate a continuing civil-rights violation at Harvard University, leading to the dismissal of the case.
A Boston federal judge on Thursday threw out a lawsuit filed by the Trump administration that alleged Harvard University ignored harassment of Jewish students. Judge Richard G. Stearns said the government could not show a persistent violation of federal civil-rights law, describing the incidents cited in the complaint as “too isolated and episodic.”
The case, filed in March, focused mainly on events from the 2023-24 academic year and a few from March 2025. The administration had sought to recover billions of dollars in federal research grants awarded to Harvard since October 2023, invoking Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
"We disagree with the ruling and are assessing next steps," said Harmeet Dhillon, assistant attorney general for civil rights at the Department of Justice.
Harvard did not immediately comment on the decision. In earlier statements, the university said it “cares deeply about members of our Jewish and Israeli community” and is committed to ensuring they are respected and can thrive on campus. President Alan M. Garber noted that Harvard created a task force to address antisemitism, hired new senior administrators and revised discipline policies to make them more consistent, fair and effective.
The lawsuit is part of a broader series of actions the government has taken against Harvard after the university declined a list of demands from the White House. Previous litigation resulted in a judge ordering the administration to reverse more than $2.6 billion in funding cuts, finding that the White House had placed unconstitutional conditions on federal aid.