The Justice Department could launch legal proceedings against Harvard over its civil rights violations, a federal official told president Alan Garber on Wednesday.

President Donald Trump's administration has sent a letter to Harvard University saying it has referred the university to the U.S. Justice Department to address allegations of "Harvard's antisemitic discrimination.

The Trump administration said Harvard University is still refusing to obey federal civil rights law, increasing pressure over the school’s alleged failure to address antisemitic harassment on campus since Israel’s response to the 2023 attack by Hamas prompted pro-Palestine student protests.