The Federal Task Force to combat anti-Semitism announced Friday that it will visit 10 university campuses that have experienced “anti-Semitist incidents since October 2023,” including both USC and UCLA.
The Federal Task Force Fighting Anti-Semitism Announces Visits to 10 University Campuses that Experienced Anti-Semitism Incidents
🔗: https://t.co/ds8kfkidbc pic.twitter.com/rzyse9wvj7
– DOJ Civil Rights Division (@civilrights) February 28, 2025
On January 29, President Trump issued an executive order that created a task force that achieved the goal of “route.”[ing] A Justice Department memo said on February 3.
The statement did not specify when the visit would be made or which cases the task force would investigate.
“The President, Attorney General Pamela Bondy, and the entire administration are committed to ensuring that no one should feel safe on campus because of their religion,” wrote the Attorney General of Civil Rights Leo Terrell. “The task force’s mission is to guide the full power of the federal government into our efforts, particularly in schools, to eradicate anti-Semitism. These visits are just one of the many steps this administration is taking to realize its commitment.”
Federal officials will meet with university leaders to influence students and consider whether local law enforcement and community leaders “guaranteed corrective action is guaranteed.”
Both USC and UCLA experienced public student protests over the ongoing war in Gaza last spring.
USC protestors were controversially removed from campus on May 5, 2024 by LAPD officers in full protective gear by LAPD officers. The protest initially attracted widespread attention after the withdrawal of Valedictorian Asna Tabassum’s graduation speech.
At the time, the university cited an unspecified “safety concern” after complaining to administrators about a social media post in which an organisation on campus expressed support for Palestine.
USC has since continued to lock down its traditionally open campuses.
In a statement provided to NBCLA, USC wrote: USC is proud to register one of the nation’s largest Jewish student organizations. We look forward to talking to the Department of Justice about everything we have done to create a welcoming and non-discriminatory campus environment for all members of our community. ”
The massive protest at UCLA goes back further as university columns across the country create camps. Tensions came to mind at once, just like USC during the spring semester of 2024.
Dozens of UCLA students have been arrested so far, and the UCLA police chief has taken office, and two pro-Palestinian student groups have been suspended after protesting at UC Regent Jace Laise’s home last week.
The ACLU filed a lawsuit against UCLA last October, citing the restraint of freedom of speech.
The NBCLA contacted UCLA for a statement.
The other eight schools identified in the memo include:
Columbia University George Washington University Harvard University Johns Hopkins University New York University Northwest University of California, Berkeley University of Minnesota
