Trump admin calls for Columbia University's accreditation to be pulled

The Trump administration accused Columbia University of violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and called for the institution's accreditation to be pulled.

The threat was a significant escalation in the feud between the administration and some top colleges and universities over their response to threats and violence from pro-Palestinian activists since the latest war in the Middle East.

'This is not only immoral, but also unlawful. Accreditors have an enormous public responsibility as gatekeepers of federal student aid.'

The administration accused Columbia University of no longer meeting the accreditation standards of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education after it demonstrated "deliberate indifference towards the harassment of Jewish students."

The Hamas terror attack on southern Israel in 2023 took the lives of more than 1,200 people and led to a military response from Israel into the Gaza Strip to target the terror organization. Supporters of Hamas in the U.S. have organized demonstrations to oppose the Israeli operations, but some protests have veered into vandalism and violence.

Education Secretary Linda McMahon said that Columbia officials did not do enough to protect their Jewish students from violence and intimidation.

RELATED: Trump admin slashes $400 million in grants and contracts from Columbia University over attacks from anti-Israel protesters

Photo by Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images

“After Hamas’ October 7, 2023, terror attack on Israel, Columbia University’s leadership acted with deliberate indifference towards the harassment of Jewish students on its campus," said McMahon.

"This is not only immoral, but also unlawful," she continued. "Accreditors have an enormous public responsibility as gatekeepers of federal student aid."

If Columbia lost its accreditation, it would lose the ability to apply for federal student loans and Pell Grants.

“We look forward to the Commission keeping the Department fully informed of actions taken to ensure Columbia’s compliance with accreditation standards including compliance with federal civil rights laws," she added.

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