Executive Order 13899, signed on December 11, 2019, directed federal agencies to leverage Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as an enforcement mechanism against antisemitism in educational settings. The order specifically instructed the Department of Education and other relevant agencies to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's working definition of antisemitism when evaluating civil rights complaints from Jewish students and staff. This definition broadens the scope of what constitutes discriminatory conduct to include certain forms of criticism of Israel and statements about Jewish people. By tying federal funding to compliance with this definition, the order created financial consequences for educational institutions found to engage in or tolerate antisemitic discrimination.

The order directly affects Jewish students and staff at educational institutions receiving federal funds, which encompasses the vast majority of American colleges and universities, as well as many secondary and elementary schools. These institutions now face potential loss of federal funding if investigations find they failed to address antisemitic incidents or discrimination. Administrators and faculty also become subject to heightened scrutiny regarding their statements and institutional responses to complaints involving Jewish community members.

This action reflects a broader pattern of the Trump administration's approach to civil rights enforcement that has shifted focus toward particular constituencies while simultaneously weakening enforcement mechanisms in other areas. As documented in contemporaneous actions, the Education Department's civil rights operations underwent significant overhauls. By April 2026, the department was resolving 30 percent fewer discrimination complaints overall compared to the previous year, despite the heightened attention to antisemitism enforcement. This suggests a selective prioritization within civil rights work rather than comprehensive strengthening of protections across all protected classes. The executive order thus presents a complex case where enforcement mechanisms were expanded for one category while overall civil rights complaint resolution declined.

The order remains legally in effect, though its application continues to generate controversy regarding the relationship between criticism of Israeli government policy and antisemitic discrimination. Educational institutions have navigated compliance by developing policies that distinguish between protected political speech and unlawful harassment or discrimination.