A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from cutting federal funding to the University of California system or imposing fines over claims the institution permits antisemitism and other forms of discrimination.
Legal Victory for UC Faculty and Students
U.S. District Judge Rita Lin in San Francisco granted a preliminary injunction on Friday that prevents immediate financial penalties against the prestigious university system. The ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed by labor unions and groups representing UC faculty, students, and employees.
The unions argued that the administration is using funding cuts and threats of cuts to silence opposing viewpoints at UC in violation of constitutional protections and federal law. President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized elite universities, claiming they are overrun by liberalism and antisemitism.
Background of the Conflict
The Trump administration has launched investigations into dozens of universities, alleging they failed to end racial preferences in violation of civil rights law. The Republican administration contends that diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts discriminate against white and Asian American students.
Earlier this summer, the administration took dramatic action against UCLA, fining the university $1.2 billion and freezing research funding after accusing the institution of allowing antisemitism on campus. This marked the first time a public university faced such penalties over civil rights violation allegations.
Broader Implications and Settlement Talks
The administration has also frozen or paused federal funding against private colleges including Columbia University over similar claims. University of California President James B. Milliken has warned that the massive UCLA fine would devastate the UC system, which includes some of the nation's top public colleges.
While UC is engaged in settlement discussions with the administration, the university system is not directly involved in the lawsuit before Judge Lin, who was nominated to the bench by President Joe Biden.
The administration's settlement demands include requiring UCLA to comply with its views on gender identity and establish processes to ensure foreign students aren't admitted if likely to engage in anti-American, anti-Western, or antisemitic disruptions or harassment.
Previous settlements with other institutions include Brown University agreeing to pay $50 million and Columbia University settling for $221 million in similar cases.
