The U.S. Department of Education announced Wednesday that it has notified a university accrediting body that it believes Columbia University violated federal anti-discrimination laws by failing to protect Jewish students on its campus.
It's worth noting that Columbia University was the center of widespread protests demanding a ceasefire in Gaza and an end to Israel's war of extermination, as were hundreds of university campuses across the United States last year.
"Columbia University has turned a blind eye to the harassment of Jewish students," US Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said on X.
The university, an Ivy League university, was accused of "violating Title VI protections," a national law that prohibits federal funding recipients from discriminating on the basis of race, color, or national origin.
There is no evidence that Jewish students at the university were subjected to physical abuse or verbal abuse that was offensive to their personal or religious interests, but some students complained that the demonstrations calling for a ceasefire were "uncomfortable for them."
"Following the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, Columbia University's leadership acted with deliberate indifference to the harassment of Jewish students on its campus," McMahon said in a statement. "This is not only unethical, but also illegal."
In the statement, the U.S. Department of Education said its Office for Civil Rights had contacted Columbia University's accrediting body regarding the alleged violation.
She added that she had notified the Middle States Commission on Higher Education that "its member institution, Columbia University, is violating federal anti-discrimination laws and therefore does not meet the accreditation standards established by the commission."
It is unclear how the Middle States Commission, which is independent, like other accrediting agencies, will respond to this notification, but the prestigious university is not expected to lose its accreditation.
If Columbia University's accreditation is withdrawn, it will lose access to all federal funds.
Students attending the university will also not be able to access federal grants and loans to cover tuition fees. Critics accuse the Trump administration of exploiting allegations of anti-Semitism to target educational elites and force universities to surrender.
The Trump administration has already placed $400 million in Columbia University funding under review, prompting the university in March to announce a package of government waivers related to defining anti-Semitism, monitoring protests, and censorship of specific academic departments.
The Trump administration has also sought to deport several prominent activists on the Columbia University campus, most notably Palestinian student Mahmoud Khalil, who has been detained since March 8, and Palestinian student Mohsen Hindawi, who was arrested on April 14 and released on April 30.
Following Wednesday's announcement, a Columbia University spokesperson said the university is "aware of the concerns" the government has raised with its accreditation body.
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The Trump administration accuses Columbia University of discriminating against Jewish students and threatens to strip it of its accreditation.