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EVANSTON, Ill. - A federal task force will visit Northwestern University in Evanston as part of an investigation into its handling of claims of antisemitism.
The Department of Justice announced the visit to Northwestern and nine other universities around the country.
Feds target antisemitism
What we know:
The Federal Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism will meet with university leadership, students and staff who have been subjected to antisemitism, local law enforcement, and community members.
The goal is to gather information about alleged incidents and "consider whether remedial action is warranted."
The announcement of the visit comes about a month after the Department of Justice opened an investigation into allegations of antisemitism at Northwestern and four other schools.
The other schools the task force will visit include Columbia University in New York, George Washington University, Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, New York University, the University of California at Los Angeles, the University of California at Berkeley, the University of Minnesota, and the University of Southern California.
In response to the initial opening of the investigation, a Northwestern spokesperson said, "There is no place for antisemitism or any form of identity-based discrimination or hate at Northwestern University. Free expression and academic freedom are among our core values, but we have made clear that these values provide no excuse for behavior that threatens the well-being of others."
What they're saying:
A Department of Justice official said the probe is part of the Trump administration's efforts to "eradicate antisemitism harassment in schools and college campuses."
"The President, Attorney General Pamela Bondi, and the entire Administration are committed to ensuring that no one should feel unsafe or unwelcome on campus because of their religion," said Leo Terrell, the task force leader and senior counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, in a statement. "The Task Force’s mandate is to bring the full force of the federal government to bear in our effort to eradicate Anti-Semitism, particularly in schools. These visits are just one of many steps this Administration is taking to deliver on that commitment."