‘Predetermined outcomes’: Trump admin accused of politicizing Ivy League antisemitism probes

WASHINGTON, DC: A former Justice Department lawyer has accused the Trump administration of pressuring investigators to pursue settlements with Ivy League universities as part of its efforts to address allegations of antisemitism on college campuses.

The whistleblower complaint alleges that some investigations were rushed, lacked sufficient evidence of legal violations and were driven by predetermined outcomes. The Justice Department has rejected the allegations, saying it “stands behind the integrity of these investigations.” The disclosure involves investigations into Harvard University, Columbia University and Brown University. 

Whistleblower alleges investigators were pushed toward university settlements

The complaint was filed by lawyers representing Haley Van Erem, a former DOJ attorney who had worked in the department’s Civil Rights Division for nearly a decade before being involuntarily assigned to HHS to work on Title VI investigations involving universities.

The disclosure, filed with inspectors general at the Justice Department and HHS, as well as the Office of Special Counsel, alleges that the investigations were conducted with outcomes already in mind.

According to the complaint, the investigations were marked by “extraordinary procedural irregularities” and “predetermined outcomes without factual or legal support.” The lawyers described the effort as a “politically mandated effort” to pressure universities into settlements and use funding restrictions as leverage.

The complaint says Daniel Shieh, an associate deputy director in HHS’ Office for Civil Rights, acknowledged that investigators had not established a Title VI violation at Brown. Despite that, the complaint alleges Shieh said officials would not approve a finding clearing the university.

“Shieh admitted that there was ‘not a Title VI violation’ at Brown but said that ‘there’s no way we’re going to get a letter of no violation cleared,’” the complaint states.

Brown ultimately agreed to a $50 million settlement with the administration, while Columbia agreed to a $200 million agreement restoring access to federal funding. Neither settlement included an admission of wrongdoing.

Whistleblower raises concerns over Harvard antisemitism probe

The complaint also raises concerns about the handling of the Harvard investigation, alleging that officials discussed funding freezes and proposed settlement terms before investigators had established potential Title VI violations.

The disclosure further alleges that investigators were directed to interview Middle East Studies professors, including Muslim faculty members, in circumstances the whistleblower believed were not tied to specific allegations of antisemitism. Van Erem said she was concerned the interviews could be used to elicit statements that officials could characterize as antisemitic.

The complaint says Van Erem left the Justice Department in May 2025 because she was “unwilling to be made vulnerable to further participation in politically motivated investigations unsupported by facts and contrary to law.”

Rep Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, separately cited the allegations in a letter to Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon, calling the investigations a “fake, a pre-baked frame-up operation thoroughly political in nature,” adding that "the whole project was designed ... to curtail their freedom of speech and academic freedom.”

The DOJ disputed Van Erem’s account, saying, “While at the DOJ, Ms. Haley Van Erem did not work on university investigations. And for all matters, the Department stands behind the integrity of these investigations.”