Harvard dodges a federal blow as a judge tosses out the DOJ’s harassment lawsuit.
Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., on March 29, 2026. Learner Liu/The Epoch Times
Judge Cites Lack of Evidence in Dismissal
U.S. District Court Judge Richard Stearns dismissed the Department of Justice suit on Aug. 13, saying the claim of ongoing Title VI violations lacked sufficient proof.
“Without diminishing any concern arising from these occurrences, the court finds them, singly and collectively, to be too isolated and episodic to support a plausible inference that any institutionalized noncompliance with Title VI persists at Harvard to this day,” Stearns wrote.
The ruling followed Harvard’s motion to dismiss, which argued the complaint focused on the 2023‑2024 academic year and only three post‑period incidents dating to March 2025.
Justice Department Vows to Continue
Harmeet K. Dhillon, assistant attorney general for civil rights, told The Epoch Times on Aug. 13 that the department disagrees with the decision and is reviewing next steps.
“The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division is actively investigating antisemitism nationwide. The division has an extensive and active portfolio of antisemitism enforcement, including indictments, prosecutions, settlements, and investigations across the country,” Dhillon said.
Harvard did not respond to inquiries by publication time.
Lawsuit Details
The original 44‑page complaint, filed March 20, 2026, alleged that Harvard allowed hostile anti‑Semitism and anti‑Israel sentiment to flourish after the Hamas Oct. 7, 2023 attacks.
Trump administration officials said Jewish students faced harassment, physical abuse, stalking and spit‑on incidents, and that the school turned a blind eye, forcing many to hide their yarmulkes.
Fearful for their safety, Jewish students wore baseball caps to conceal their yarmulkes or kept out of sight, effectively denying them access to federally funded educational opportunities,” the complaint stated.
Former Attorney General Pamela Bondi, speaking at the lawsuit’s filing, warned that anti‑Semitism was flourishing on campus and said the litigation underscored the Trump administration’s commitment to ending discriminatory behavior that harms students.
