U.S. Commission Releases Report on Campus Antisemitism

WASHINGTON, Sept. 28, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights today released a bipartisan report that addresses campus antisemitism, a growing civil rights concern. The report, which was unanimously approved, examines how institutions of higher education and the federal government have responded to allegations of antisemitism following the October 7, 2023 Hamas terrorist attack against Israel. The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, established by the Civil Rights Act of 1957, is the only independent, bipartisan agency charged with advising the President and Congress on civil rights and reporting annually on federal civil rights enforcement.

The investigation, led by Commissioners Peter Kirsanow and Mondaire Jones, included testimony from current and former federal officials, college and university students, legal scholars, researchers, Jewish and civil rights organizations, and higher education experts.

Among the key takeaways from the report are that campus antisemitism is a serious civil rights issue affecting Jewish students, particularly after the October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attack. Universities must address discrimination and harassment based on Jewish shared ancestry while protecting political speech and other forms of expression. However, the report also highlights that universities' responses remain inconsistent, with some having robust complaint procedures and resources for Jewish students, while others lack such mechanisms.

The report underscores the difficulty in accurately assessing the true scope of unlawful campus antisemitism due to inconsistent or unreliable data collection and analysis. Universities, advocacy organizations, scholars, and the federal government often fail to distinguish between claims of unlawful antisemitism and claims about controversial expression. The federal government's enforcement capacity has also been criticized, with the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights handling more complaints without a corresponding increase in staff.

The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, a bipartisan agency established by the Civil Rights Act of 1957, is the only independent agency charged with advising the President and Congress on civil rights and reporting annually on federal civil rights enforcement. The Commission, which has 56 state Advisory Committees, offers a broad perspective on civil rights concerns at state and local levels.

The report's findings suggest that effective responses to campus antisemitism should center on affected students and campus-specific conditions, rather than relying solely on broad punitive actions from the federal government. The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights will continue to work with contributors and affected students to elevate its investigation and inform the public conversation.

The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, established by the Civil Rights Act of 1957, is the only independent, bipartisan agency charged with advising the President and Congress on civil rights and reporting annually on federal civil rights enforcement. Our 56 state Advisory Committees offer a broad perspective on civil rights concerns at state and local levels. The Commission, in its 7th decade, continues to influence civil rights with a legacy of influence. For information about the Commission, please visit www.usccr.gov.