US Justice Department Civil Rights Chief Harmeet Dhillon Resigns
Harmeet Dhillon, head of the Civil Rights Division at the US Department of Justice and a key figure in combating antisemitism on campuses, has resigned following the midterm elections.
Harmeet Dhillon, head of the Civil Rights Division at the United States Department of Justice, has resigned from her post, Fox News reported, citing sources familiar with the matter.
Dhillon, who assumed office in April 2025, became a prominent figure in the Trump administration's efforts to combat antisemitism, particularly by applying legal pressure on universities accused of failing to protect Jewish and Israeli students and faculty members.
Reports of her departure come two days after the midterm elections, in which Republicans lost control of both houses of Congress. According to Bloomberg, Dhillon had indicated to associates prior to the vote that she intended to step down following the elections, with plans to return to her law firm in California.
Her departure marks the loss of a key pro-Israel voice that actively translated the protection of Jewish communities into federal enforcement actions. Dhillon consistently demanded that academic institutions ensure students identifying with Israel could study, move freely, and participate in campus life without facing threats, exclusion, or discrimination.
In September, addressing the Israeli-American Council (IAC) conference in San Diego, Dhillon described the rise in antisemitism as a national crisis. She noted that the Department of Justice had investigated over 100 educational institutions, with settlements involving universities such as Columbia, Northwestern, Cornell, and Brown totaling nearly half a billion dollars.
One of the most notable cases involved a settlement with Columbia University in July 2025, under which the institution agreed to pay $200 million, alongside an additional $21 million settlement with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The agreements included strict oversight measures and allowed for the restoration of frozen federal research grants.
In February, Dhillon's division filed a lawsuit against the University of California, alleging that it permitted a hostile work environment for Jews and Israelis at UCLA, characterized by threats, harassment, and restricted access to campus areas. While maintaining a firm stance, Dhillon consistently distinguished between political criticism of Israel and conduct that infringes upon the civil rights of others.
