Kathmandu— The US Justice Department is refuting allegations made by a whistleblower that investigations into anti-Semitism at several universities were politically motivated and lacked factual basis. Former Department of Justice (DOJ) lawyer Haley Van Erem claims the Trump administration’s Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism sought multimillion-dollar settlements from Ivy League institutions despite failing to establish any legal wrongdoing, alleging investigators were overruled by political appointees. The DOJ maintains the integrity of its investigations while Representative Jamie Raskin has launched his own inquiry into the matter.

Whistleblower's Allegations

Haley Van Erem filed a complaint with multiple inspectors general detailing her concerns about the task force’s procedures and outcomes. According to the complaint, the investigations were “predetermined” as part of a broader effort to extract funds from universities under the guise of combating anti-Semitism. Van Erem alleges she was involuntarily assigned to the task force in 2024 and resigned in May 2025 due to her unwillingness to participate in what she considered politically motivated investigations unsupported by facts.

DOJ Response

A DOJ spokesperson has disputed Van Erem’s involvement in the university investigations, stating she “did not work on university investigations” during her time at the department. The spokesperson also affirmed that the department “stands behind the integrity of these investigations.” This denial comes amidst growing scrutiny over the task force's methods and findings.

Congressional Investigation

Representative Jamie Raskin, ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, has initiated an investigation into the whistleblower’s claims. Raskin alleges that Trump administration political appointees “grossly manipulated” federal anti-Semitism investigations to target universities, punish protected speech, and force settlements despite insufficient evidence of Title VI violations. In a letter addressed to Harmeet Dhillon, he accused the administration of conducting a “fake” investigation.

Settlements and Legal Challenges

Columbia University agreed to pay $200 million over three years, while Brown University committed to spending $50 million on Rhode Island workforce development, even though the task force found no formal admission of university misconduct. A federal judge previously ordered the administration to reverse cuts of more than $2.6 billion in research funding for Harvard, finding that antisemitism was used as a pretext for an ideologically-motivated assault on universities. Another judge recently dismissed a Trump administration lawsuit accusing Harvard of failing to address harassment of Jewish students.

The allegations and subsequent investigations are ongoing, raising questions about the objectivity and legal basis of the Trump administration’s efforts to combat anti-Semitism on college campuses.

(With inputs from Al Jazeera)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.