US court allows probe to demand Jewish staff list at University of Pennsylvania

A Philadelphia federal judge has ordered the University of Pennsylvania to comply with a federal request for Jewish employee data

Students walk between classes in front of College Hall on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, US, Sept 25, 2017. REUTERS/Charles Mostoller

In a ruling that has stirred controversy, a US federal judge has allowed the Trump administration’s inquiry into alleged antisemitism at the University of Pennsylvania to proceed, demanding that the university provide a list of Jewish employees, The Times of Israel reports.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) opened the investigation in December 2023 over claims that the Ivy League institution permitted discrimination against Jewish staffers.

When the federal agency requested contact information for Jewish employees, the university declined, the report cited court documents on Wednesday.

Jewish campus groups also opposed the order, warning of historical parallels.

“Across history, the compelled cataloguing of Jews has been a source of profound danger, and the collection of Jews’ private information carries echoes of the very patterns that made Jewish communities vulnerable for centuries,” The Times of Israel quoted them as saying.

The EEOC subsequently sued Penn’s trustees for refusing to comply with the subpoena, sparking a legal battle that culminated in Judge Gerald J Pappert’s decision in Philadelphia’s Federal District Court.

Judge Pappert ruled that such requests are routine in discrimination investigations and ordered the university to comply by May 1, The Times of Israel says.

The decision has drawn scrutiny from civil liberties advocates who fear that it may infringe on privacy while addressing allegations of antisemitism.