A federal judge in Boston dismissed the Trump administration’s civil rights lawsuit against Harvard University on Thursday, finding that the federal government had not plausibly established that the university was continuing to violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. U.S. District Judge Richard Stearns granted Harvard’s motion to dismiss the case, which accused the university of failing to adequately protect Jewish and Israeli students from harassment and discrimination on campus.

The Justice Department filed the lawsuit on March 20, alleging Harvard had been deliberately indifferent to antisemitic harassment, selectively enforced university rules and allowed Jewish and Israeli students to face intimidation, exclusion and other discriminatory conduct. The government sought to compel Harvard’s compliance with Title VI and recover federal funds it said the university had received while violating federal civil rights requirements. The case followed a broader federal investigation into Harvard’s handling of antisemitism and campus protests following the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza.

Stearns found that the government’s complaint focused overwhelmingly on events during the 2023-2024 academic year, with only several later incidents alleged in March 2025. The court concluded those later allegations were too isolated to plausibly establish that Harvard remained in violation of Title VI when the lawsuit was filed. The ruling also found that the complaint did not sufficiently allege continued noncompliance after the government formally notified Harvard in June 2025 that it considered the university to be violating federal civil rights law.

The dismissal ends the case at the district court level but does not necessarily conclude the dispute between Harvard and the federal government. The Justice Department can seek further review of the ruling, while separate litigation involving federal funding, admissions policies and other actions affecting the university remains active. Harvard has maintained that it has strengthened disciplinary procedures, campus rules, training and programs addressing antisemitism while disputing the administration’s broader claims against the university. The ruling represents another significant development in the continuing legal confrontation between Harvard and the Trump administration over federal oversight, civil rights enforcement and university governance.