A federal judge has issued a ruling that prevents the Trump administration from imposing fines on the University of California (UC) or cutting its federal funding over accusations of allowing antisemitism and discrimination. On October 27, 2023, U.S. District Judge Rita Lin delivered a preliminary injunction, mandating that the administration cannot cancel funding without providing notice to affected faculty members and holding a hearing.
The ruling comes in response to the administration’s demand for UCLA to pay $1.2 billion to restore previously frozen research funding and maintain eligibility for future federal support. This demand is part of a broader campaign targeting public universities accused of civil rights violations, marking UCLA as the first institution subjected to such actions.
In her decision, Judge Lin highlighted the extensive evidence presented by labor unions and other groups representing UC faculty, students, and employees. She stated that the Trump administration has been engaged in a “concerted campaign” aimed at eliminating what it perceives as “woke,” “left,” and “socialist” ideologies from major universities.
Lin noted, “Agency officials, as well as the President and Vice President, have repeatedly and publicly announced a playbook of initiating civil rights investigations of preeminent universities to justify cutting off federal funding.” The judge accused the administration of coercive and retaliatory conduct, violating the First and Tenth Amendments.
The University of California is currently undergoing multiple civil rights investigations. Lin’s injunction will remain in place indefinitely, as the administration’s pressures might impact the academic environment at the university. UC President James B. Milliken emphasized that the substantial fine would have devastating effects on the entire UC system, which is recognized as one of the leading public university systems in the United States.
The university system is engaged in settlement discussions with the administration and is not a direct party to the lawsuit overseen by Judge Lin, who was nominated by President Joe Biden. In a statement, UC reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding its mission, governance, and academic freedom.
The administration’s requirements for UCLA include compliance with its views on gender identity and the establishment of a process to ensure that foreign students are not admitted if they may engage in actions deemed anti-American or antisemitic. These demands were outlined in a settlement proposal made public earlier in October 2023.
Previously, the administration has reached agreements with other institutions, including Brown University for $50 million and Columbia University for $221 million. In her ruling, Lin referenced testimonies from UC faculty and staff indicating that the administration’s actions have led them to refrain from teaching or researching topics they feared might be deemed too “left” or “woke.”
The injunction also prohibits the administration from linking federal funding to any agreements that would infringe on the rights of UC faculty and staff as protected by the First Amendment. Lin cited attempts to enforce screening of international students based on perceived “anti-Western” or “anti-American” views, as well as restrictions on research and teaching.
President Donald Trump has characterized elite colleges as dominated by liberalism and antisemitism, prompting investigations into numerous universities for alleged failures to eliminate racial preferences, which the administration claims violates civil rights laws. The Republican administration argues that initiatives promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion discriminate against white and Asian American students.
As the legal situation unfolds, the implications of Judge Lin’s ruling could have significant effects on the relationship between federal funding and institutional governance in higher education across the United States.
