Frankel v. Regents of the University of California

Summary

In late April and early May 2024, pro-Palestinian protesters established an encampment on the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) campus. According to a federal lawsuit filed by Jewish law student Yitzchok Frankel and two other students, activists created “Jew Exclusion Zones” where Jewish students were excluded, and UCLA administration failed to intervene. The plaintiffs alleged these actions violated their civil rights under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination at federally funded institutions. During this period, violent clashes occurred between pro-Palestinian demonstrators and pro-Israel counterprotesters, and four student journalists were attacked on May 1, 2024.

On August 14, 2024, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction requiring UCLA to ensure equal and unimpeded access to all areas of campus for Jewish students and faculty. The court found that the university may have enabled or tolerated discriminatory conduct by failing to act when Jewish individuals were excluded from public campus spaces. The judge stated that university officials could face personal liability for knowingly allowing such conduct to persist.

In March 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a Statement of Interest supporting the plaintiffs. The DOJ asserted that UCLA’s failure to act may have violated federal civil rights protections and emphasized that public universities have a legal duty to protect students from religious-based exclusion and harassment, even in the context of protest activity.

On July 29, 2025, UCLA agreed to pay $6.13 million to settle complaints of antisemitic discrimination brought by Jewish students and faculty. The settlement included $2.33 million in charitable contributions to eight Jewish organizations, $320,000 to fund UCLA’s initiative to combat antisemitism, and $50,000 payments to each plaintiff. It required UCLA to implement reforms including adopting protest guidelines, establishing a dedicated safety office, strengthening policies against antisemitism, enhancing training for staff and students, improving reporting and response mechanisms, and appointing a compliance officer. The settlement also included a permanent court order preventing exclusion of Jewish students and faculty from campus areas.

Shortly after the settlement, the DOJ issued a formal finding that UCLA violated federal civil rights laws by permitting a hostile environment for Jewish and Israeli students during the protests. The DOJ determined UCLA acted with “deliberate indifference” to antisemitic discrimination, violating the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. DOJ officials stated UCLA “will pay a heavy price” for failing to protect students’ civil rights and underscored the department’s commitment to enforcing federal protections against discrimination in education.