A federal judge in the United States has delivered a significant blow to the Trump administration, blocking its attempt to withhold hundreds of millions in federal funding from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
The ruling from US District Judge Rita Lin condemns what she described as a government-led campaign to eliminate progressive ideologies from the country's top academic institutions.
Legal Rebuke for 'Concerted Campaign'
In a preliminary injunction issued late on Friday, Judge Lin stated the government was not permitted to demand payments or threaten hefty fines against the University of California system.
This action was part of the administration's claims that the university violated civil rights through its handling of pro-Palestinian protests in 2024 and its affirmative action policies.
Judge Lin's ruling highlighted 'overwhelming evidence' of a Trump administration playbook designed to use civil rights investigations as a weapon.
She stated this strategy was intended to cut federal funding, thereby 'bringing universities to their knees and forcing them to change their ideological tune' by purging what it termed 'woke', 'left' and 'socialist' viewpoints.
Financial Threats and Ideological Deals
The case stems from a July decision by the Trump administration to freeze a staggering $584 million in federal funding for UCLA.
The administration accused the university of creating a 'hostile educational environment for Jewish and Israeli students' through its management of campus protests.
Subsequently, in October, the administration proposed a controversial deal to nine prominent US universities.
This offer promised restored funding in exchange for schools imposing policies that included banning considerations of race or sex in admissions and hiring, and removing departments seen as hostile to conservative ideas.
While the University of California system was not offered this deal, the private University of Southern California was.
California's Governor, Gavin Newsom, swiftly responded with a warning that any state university accepting Trump's terms would lose its California state funding.
A Victory for Academic Freedom
The legal challenge was brought by plaintiffs including UC faculty, researchers, and students.
Progressive legal advocacy group Democracy Forward, which was involved in the case, labelled the administration's efforts as 'strong-arm tactics'.
The group asserted that the move was not only a harmful attempt to stifle speech but also a betrayal of the constitution and a dangerous step toward autocracy.
This injunction represents a major legal setback for the administration's broader campaign to influence university policies and ideological leanings across the United States.
