Trump administration refers Harvard to Justice Department in civil rights probe

President Donald Trump’s administration has despatched a letter to Harvard University saying it has referred the college to the U.S. Justice Department to deal with allegations of “Harvard’s antisemitic discrimination.”

In late June, the Trump administration stated an investigation had concluded Harvard violated federal civil rights regulation for failing to deal with harassment of Jewish and Israeli college students.

Critics, rights specialists and a few school stated such probes are a pretext to say federal management over faculties and threaten tutorial freedom and free speech.

Harvard has been embroiled in talks and a authorized combat with the Trump administration, in search of the restoration of billions of {dollars} of frozen federal funds for medical analysis and different applications. It sued the Trump administration earlier this yr.

“The parties’ several months’ engagement has been fruitless,” stated the letter dated Wednesday from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to Harvard’s management.

“OCR (Office for Civil Rights) therefore has no choice but to refer the matter to DOJ to initiate appropriate proceedings to address Harvard’s antisemitic discrimination.”

Mr. Trump has threatened to chop federal funds for universities over pro-Palestinian protests towards U.S. ally Israel’s struggle in Gaza. The authorities alleges universities allowed antisemitism throughout final yr’s pro-Palestinian protests.

Protesters, together with some Jewish teams, say the Trump administration wrongly equates their criticism of Israel’s navy assault in Gaza and its occupation of Palestinian territories with antisemitism, and advocacy for Palestinian rights with help for extremism.

Campus protesters demanded an finish to U.S. backing for Israel and a dedication that their universities will stop investing in weapons makers and firms that help Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories.

Harvard had no fast touch upon Wednesday’s letter. The college has stated it goals to fight discrimination. Reports launched in April by Harvard’s antisemitism and Islamophobia job forces discovered worry and bigotry confronted by Jewish, Muslim and Arab college students.

The Trump administration has not introduced equal probes into Islamophobia.

Last week, Columbia University agreed to pay over $220 million to resolve federal probes. The New York Times has reported Harvard was open to spending as much as $500 million to finish its dispute with the federal government.