Judge Blocks Trump from Penalizing University of California

A federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration cannot impose financial penalties on the University of California (UC) or suspend its federal funding over allegations of discrimination. On October 27, 2023, U.S. District Judge Rita Lin, based in San Francisco, issued a preliminary injunction preventing the administration from cancelling funding without prior notice to affected faculty and conducting necessary hearings.

The ruling comes after the administration demanded that the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) pay $1.2 billion in order to restore previously frozen research funding and secure eligibility for future allocations. The administration accused UCLA of allowing antisemitism on campus, marking it as the first public university to face such allegations. Similar claims have also led to frozen funding at private institutions like Columbia University.

In her decision, Lin stated that labor unions and other groups representing UC faculty, students, and employees presented “overwhelming evidence” that the Trump administration is pursuing a targeted campaign against universities perceived as “woke” or “left.” Lin asserted that officials, including the President and Vice President, have publicly outlined a strategy to initiate civil rights investigations at prominent universities to justify cutting off federal funding.

The judge’s ruling criticized the administration for engaging in “coercive and retaliatory conduct,” which she stated violates both the First and Tenth Amendments. She noted that the administration’s actions at UC are part of a broader pattern affecting multiple institutions amidst a spate of civil rights investigations.

Messages sent to the White House and the U.S. Department of Justice following the ruling were not immediately answered. Lin’s injunction will remain in effect indefinitely, providing temporary relief to UC as it navigates the ongoing scrutiny.

In response, James B. Milliken, President of the University of California, expressed concerns that the hefty fine imposed on UCLA would severely impact the entire UC system, which is recognized as one of the premier networks of public colleges in the United States. The university has stated its ongoing commitment to safeguarding its mission and academic freedoms.

The administration’s demands also include compliance with its views on gender identity and the implementation of measures to screen foreign students likely to engage in anti-American, anti-Western, or antisemitic behaviors. These stipulations were part of a settlement proposal revealed in October.

Previously, the Trump administration reached agreements with institutions like Brown University for $50 million and Columbia University for $221 million. Lin referenced testimonies from UC faculty and staff indicating that the administration’s demands have led some educators to refrain from teaching or researching topics deemed too “left” or “woke.”

Her injunction effectively prohibits the administration from tying the provision or continuation of federal funding to any measures that could infringe upon the rights of faculty and students under the First Amendment. Examples of these infringing measures include attempts to impose specific definitions of gender and restrictions on research and teaching based on perceived ideological biases.

President Donald Trump has been vocal in criticizing elite colleges for what he perceives as their liberalism and antisemitism. His administration has launched investigations into numerous universities, alleging violations of civil rights laws stemming from diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts that they claim discriminate against white and Asian American students.