The Trump administration’s larger effort to hold colleges responsible for campus disturbances has intensified after the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) accused George Washington University (GWU) of breaking federal civil rights statutes during pro-Palestinian student demonstrations last year.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon accused GWU of purposefully ignoring reports of antisemitic harassment and discrimination during the protests in a letter to GWU President Ellen Granberg. Although she pointed out that a consensual settlement agreement might still be used to settle the issue, Dhillon stated that the DOJ intends to proceed with enforcement actions unless the university takes prompt corrective action.
What enforcement might entail was not made clear in the letter. Nonetheless, comparable results at other universities, including Columbia, Brown, Harvard, Northwestern, and Cornell, have prompted discussions to reinstate federal funding when it was temporarily frozen. For instance, the DOJ recently announced similar breaches on July 29 at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). UCLA was forced to engage in negotiations with the White House that could lead to fines and policy changes after the administration halted more than $500 million in federal payments to the university less than a week later.
Last spring, a pro-Palestinian camp was established at GWU, a private university in Washington, D.C. According to Dhillon, the main goal of the two-week rally was to intimidate Israeli and Jewish students. Blocking building entrances and putting people’s physical safety at peril are among the accusations mentioned in the DOJ’s conclusions.
Shannon McClendon, a GWU representative, stated that the university has received and is examining the DOJ letter.According to McClendon, GW opposes antisemitism, which has no place in a civil and compassionate society or on our campuses. Our deeds amply illustrate our dedication to combating antisemitic behavior and promoting an inclusive campus culture.
GWU authorities first urged the D.C. police to dismantle the encampments when the protests started in 2024, but city officials turned down their request. President Trump declared on Monday that he would send 800 National Guard members to the capital and assume federal authority of the D.C. police force.
