LOS ANGELES — The U.S. Department of Justice announced Wednesday it has launched a civil rights probe into allegations of antisemitism at University of California campuses and will work with a new federal task force to assess whether UC has "engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination" against Jewish professors, staff and other employees.

UCLA experienced extensive pro-Palestinian protests last year in conjunction with the Israel-Hamas war sparked by the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. A massive pro-Palestinian encampment at UCLA was one of the largest campus protests of its type in the country.

The DOJ's employment discrimination investigation will be conducted pursuant to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, and religion. Under federal law, the department has the authority to initiate investigations against state and local government employers when it has reason to believe that a "pattern or practice" of employment discrimination exists.

The UC Office of the President said in a statement to City News Service that the university system is aware of the civil rights investigation.

"We want to be clear: the University of California is unwavering in its commitment to combating antisemitism and protecting everyone's civil rights," according to UC. "We continue to take specific steps to foster an environment free of harassment and discrimination for everyone in the university community."

Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a statement that the DOJ "will always defend Jewish Americans, protect civil rights, and leverage our resources to eradicate institutional antisemitism in our nation's universities."

Leo Terrell, senior counsel to the assistant attorney general for civil rights, said that following the 2023 Hamas attacks in Israel, there has been an "outbreak of antisemitic incidents" at institutions of higher education throughout the U.S.

"The impact upon UC's students has been the subject of considerable media attention and multiple federal investigations," he said. "But these campuses are also workplaces, and the Jewish faculty and staff employed there deserve a working environment free of antisemitic hostility and hate."

Last week, it was announced that a federal antisemitism task force planned to visit UCLA and USC as part of a tour of 10 university campuses nationwide "that have experienced antisemitic incidents since October 2023."

According to a DOJ statement, the Federal Task Force to Combat Anti- Semitism notified all 10 universities of the upcoming visits, saying the group "was aware of allegations that the schools may have failed to protect Jewish students and faculty members from unlawful discrimination, in potential violation of federal law."

No timeframe was given for the visits, nor were any specifics provided about the purported antisemitic incidents.

Asked about the task force's planned visit, Mary Osako, UCLA vice chancellor for strategic communications, said in a statement last week that the university "has been and continues to be committed to combating antisemitism and all forms of hate, which have no place on our campus or anywhere."

"Prior to the current academic year, UCLA proactively instituted reforms and programs to combat antisemitism and enhance campus safety, marked by the launch of our Four-Point Plan for a Safer, Stronger UCLA; issuance of revised Time, Place and Manner policies for public expression activities on campus in line with UC guidance; and consistent work with multiple campus offices and stakeholders, including UCLA Hillel, to promote safety and protect civil rights," Osako said. "Furthermore, the campus has supported an investigation and redoubled our efforts to enhance community safety and well- being."

USC issued a statement saying it has "publicly and unequivocally denounced antisemitism in all its forms, and has taken strong actions to protect all of our students — including members of our Jewish community — from illegal discrimination of any kind. USC is proud to enroll one of the largest Jewish student bodies in the country, and we look forward to speaking with the Department of Justice about everything we have done to create a welcoming and non-discriminatory campus environment for all members of our community."