Attorneys from the US Department of Justice have come forward with explosive claims, alleging they were subjected to political pressure to conclude that the University of California system had unlawfully discriminated against Jewish students and staff. The allegations centre on an investigation into antisemitism during pro-Palestinian protests.
A 'Hit Job' Driven by Political Aims
In detailed accounts given to the Los Angeles Times, nine lawyers—several speaking anonymously—described an investigation they say was compromised from the start. They allege that political appointees within the Trump administration pushed for a predetermined outcome, with one attorney characterising the probe as a "hit job".
Jen Swedish, a former DoJ lawyer who worked on the case against the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), stated, "The political appointees essentially determined the outcome almost before the investigation had even started." The attorneys felt compelled to find the UC in violation of civil rights law before fully establishing the facts, leading all nine to eventually resign from the case.
The Context: Campus Protests and Federal Crackdown
The investigation was launched amid a wave of pro-Palestinian activism and demonstrations against the war in Gaza that swept across US university campuses. Since taking office earlier in 2025, the Trump administration has initiated numerous probes into universities as part of a broader campaign targeting pro-Palestinian activism, diversity initiatives, and academic freedom.
The federal government's tactics have included lawsuits and threats to withhold vital research funding. In a stark example, the administration demanded UCLA pay a staggering $1 billion fine and adopt new policies to have over $500 million in grant funding restored.
Legal Pushback and Lasting Fallout
This aggressive strategy hit a significant roadblock last month when a federal judge blocked the administration from withholding funds and imposing fines on the University of California. The judge criticised the administration for employing a "playbook of initiating civil rights investigations" to cut funding and force ideological compliance.
Despite the political pressure described by the attorneys, the DoJ's civil rights division did earlier state it found UCLA had allowed antisemitic discrimination during protests. The university subsequently paid $6.5 million to settle a lawsuit from Jewish students and a professor, admitting it had "fallen short".
However, former DoJ attorney Ejaz Baluch noted that while UCLA's case had the most merit, a potential lawsuit still had "significant weaknesses." Another lawyer went further, labelling the UCLA investigation as "fraudulent and [a] sham."
The controversy continues on multiple fronts. UCLA now also faces a separate lawsuit from pro-Palestinian protesters. They allege the university was negligent when it failed to intervene during an hours-long violent attack on their encampment by a pro-Israel group.
The US Department of Justice and the University of California have not provided immediate comment on the attorneys' allegations.
