ASU Faces Education Dept. Warning Over Gaza Protest Response

The U.S. Education Department has issued warnings to 60 colleges and universities, cautioning that they could face serious consequences if they do not protect Jewish students on their campuses. This statement follows the administration’s recent decision to rescind approximately $400 million in federal grants and contracts from Columbia University, citing the institution’s inadequate response to ongoing harassment of Jewish students.

President Trump’s administration has placed a significant emphasis on addressing antisemitism at universities, particularly in light of protests that erupted last year after Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and the subsequent Israeli counteroffensive. The situation escalated over the weekend with the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia student who organized protests against the war in Gaza. Despite being a lawful permanent resident and facing no immigration allegations, Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have linked Khalil’s protests to support for Hamas.

Columbia University is among the institutions highlighted in the recent letters, which warn of potential violations of Title VI legislation that prohibits discrimination based on race, color, and national origin for federally funded organizations. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon expressed disappointment that Jewish students on elite campuses still feel unsafe due to persistent antisemitic incidents that have disrupted academic life for over a year. She emphasized that the financial support provided to universities hinges on strict compliance with federal anti-discrimination regulations.

This initiative aligns with Trump’s executive order issued in late January, which mandated additional measures to combat antisemitism. Following this order, the administration unveiled a multi-agency task force tasked with eradicating antisemitic harassment within educational institutions. In February, the Education Department initiated investigations into several universities, including Columbia and Northwestern University, for reports of widespread antisemitic harassment.

The department has reported that 55 additional universities are under investigation or monitoring due to complaints directed to its Office for Civil Rights. The institutions that received letters include a diverse mix of public and private universities, such as American University, Harvard, Stanford, and Yale, as well as several California schools like UC Berkeley and UC Davis.