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The US government has officially opened an investigation into allegations of discrimination against Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim students at Emory University. 

This action follows a civil rights complaint filed by the Georgia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Georgia) and Palestine Legal, advocating for “Emory Students for Justice in Palestine.” The groups allege months of discrimination, including harassment and intimidation. Claims involve students being derogatorily labeled as “terrorists” and “fake Muslims,” with some individuals facing targeted attacks on social media and harassment on campus.

According to CAIR-Georgia, despite multiple reports filed through Emory’s bias incident reporting system, the university has largely ignored the complaints, failing to take action. This perceived neglect prompted the legal director of CAIR-Georgia, Javeria Jamil, to state, “Emory’s deafening silence and absolute failure to protect its students… has prompted us to now turn to the Department of Education for recourse.”

The Department of Education’s decision to investigate comes amidst heightened tensions at Emory. Recently, Atlanta police and Georgia State Troopers detained several people, including Emory students and staff, following a pro-Palestine protest on campus. The protest escalated when law enforcement used Tasers and pepper balls to disperse the crowd, actions that sparked further unrest and subsequent protests.