US Department of Justice appeals dismissal of antisemitism lawsuit against Harvard

The US Department of Justice is challenging a federal judge’s decision to dismiss its antisemitism lawsuit against Harvard University. The lawsuit, filed in March, accuses Harvard of violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by failing to adequately address antisemitism and discrimination against Jewish and Israeli students following the October 7, 2023, attacks. The government is seeking to recover nearly $1 billion in federal grants from the university.

US District Judge Richard G. Stearns dismissed the case on August 13, concluding that the government failed to demonstrate that Harvard continued to violate Title VI after being formally notified of allegations in June 2025. The judge characterized the incidents as "too isolated and episodic" to prove persistent institutional noncompliance, noting that the purpose of Title VI enforcement is to ensure future compliance rather than punish past violations.

In its appeal to the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, the Justice Department is asking the court to enforce Title VI compliance and recover federal funding that the government claims was received while the university was in violation of the law. At the time of the initial filing, Harvard was slated to receive over $2.6 billion in active grants from the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Under the appellate court's schedule, Justice Department attorneys have 40 days to submit their opening brief. The administration is also pursuing two separate appeals involving Harvard before the First Circuit, one concerning $2.2 billion in federal funding and another regarding the university's enrollment of international students.