Investigation underway into 7 US colleges over complaints of anti-Semitism, Islamophobia

By Esra Tekin

ISTANBUL (AA) – The US Department of Education has launched an investigation of seven colleges under Title IV, a law that bans discrimination based on race or a person’s shared ancestry.

Five instances of antisemitism and two cases of Islamophobia are under investigation at colleges including Cornell University in Ithaca, New York and Columbia University, ABC News reported Sunday.

If the investigations reveal violations, the schools may lose federal funding or be referred to the US Department of Justice for further action.

“The goal is not to punish students by withdrawing money from universities. That's never the goal. The goal is to create safe learning environments,” said US Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, according to ABC News.

The investigations mark the first such actions since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war.