UCLA Seeks Dismissal of $1 Billion Trump Antisemitism Case
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Oct 27
UCLA Seeks Dismissal of $1 Billion Trump Antisemitism Case
2 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Oct 27
Summary
Monday’s filing asked a federal judge in Los Angeles to throw out a Justice Department lawsuit accusing UCLA of abetting antisemitism against Jewish and Israeli employees after Hamas’s 2023 attack on Israel.
UCLA said some employees were exposed to antisemitism but argued the government failed to show a widespread pattern of deliberate discrimination and ignored the university’s efforts to combat it.
The university also said the case was legally flawed because UCLA was not responsible for harassment by students and others during the campus turmoil tied to 2024 pro-Palestinian protests.
The motion is UCLA’s second bid in less than a month to dismiss a Trump administration antisemitism suit; Judge Christina Snyder has not ruled on a similar Sept. 30 request involving students.
The employee case sits within a broader fight between the administration and the University of California system, whose 10 campuses face federal scrutiny after UCLA rejected a proposed settlement topping $1 billion.
Will a judge decide UCLA fought antisemitism aggressively enough, or redefine how far universities must go to stop harassment by students and outsiders?
After lawsuits, reforms, and a rejected billion-dollar deal, is UCLA becoming the test case for campus responsibility during political crises?