The Daily Fuckup

The Justice Department filed a lawsuit against Harvard University on March 20, saying the school violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act by discriminating against Jewish and Israeli students and failing to stop harassment on campus. In a press release, the department said Harvard was deliberately indifferent to hostility that followed the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks and accused the university of selectively enforcing its rules. The government said it is seeking to compel compliance with civil-rights law and recover taxpayer funds it says Harvard accepted while out of compliance. ([justice.gov](https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-sues-harvard-university-antisemitism))

Harvard pushed back the same day. In a statement, the university said it cares deeply about Jewish and Israeli members of its community, has taken substantive steps to address antisemitism, and actively enforces anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policies. Harvard said the lawsuit is “pretextual and retaliatory” and vowed to defend itself. ([harvard.edu](https://www.harvard.edu/media-relations/2026/03/20/statement-on-march-20-lawsuit/))

The filing lands after a broader clash between the university and the Trump administration over federal money and campus control, but this case is its own legal step. The Justice Department’s complaint says Harvard receives more than $2.6 billion in active Health and Human Services grants, and it asks the court to force compliance with Title VI and recover funds tied to the alleged violations. The immediate fight now moves from press statements to federal court in Massachusetts. ([justice.gov](https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-sues-harvard-university-antisemitism))