Trump Administration Faces Lawsuit From UC Over Federal Funding Cuts

Labor unions, faculty, and students in the University of California system filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the Trump administration, accusing it of unlawfully freezing federal funds to stifle academic freedom and punish campuses for diversity and protest-related activity.

The suit, lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, seeks to block financial threats the plaintiffs say are politically motivated and to restore funding already suspended. The coalition alleged the administration is targeting universities over curriculum, diversity initiatives, and student protests against Israel’s assault on Gaza.

The dispute has escalated in recent months: UCLA said $584 million in funds were frozen before a judge ordered partial restoration, while UC Berkeley confirmed it was compelled to turn over records on 160 faculty and students. UC President James Milliken warned the system, which receives over $17 billion annually in federal support, faces one of the “gravest threats in its history.”

The White House and UC system had no immediate comment. The lawsuit follows earlier court rulings against federal funding cuts, including a judge’s finding that the administration unlawfully terminated $2 billion in grants to Harvard.