Today, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced a new initiative to address the backlog of complaints alleging antisemitic harassment and violence at American institutions of higher education. This move aligns with President Trump's commitment to safeguarding Jewish students.
Craig Trainor, Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, emphasized the urgency of resolving these complaints. He stated, “After the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel on October 7, American institutions of higher education erupted with antisemitic harassment and violence that denied Jewish students their right to equal access to learning, school activities, and campus facilities." He criticized college and university presidents for inadequate responses and noted that "the Biden Education Department’s OCR political leadership inexplicably accumulated a backlog of complaints.”
Trainor further criticized previous resolution efforts: “For the relatively few complaints actually resolved, the prior Administration’s Assistant Secretary signed off on toothless resolution agreements that provided little to no remedy for Jewish students to this day.” He assured that under the Trump Administration, such issues would not be ignored.
The directive from OCR requires prompt attention to allegations of antisemitic discrimination alongside other civil rights violations within its jurisdiction.
In conjunction with this initiative, OCR's enforcement guidance coincides with actions taken by members of the Joint Task Force to Combat Antisemitism. The task force includes departments such as Justice (DOJ), Health and Human Services (HHS), and the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). Notably, they announced the immediate cancellation of approximately $400 million in federal grants and contracts awarded to Columbia University due to its alleged inaction regarding ongoing harassment against Jewish students.
