US Judge Blocks Trump's Funding Cuts to California University Amid Antisemitism Claims

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A federal judge in San Francisco has issued a preliminary injunction, blocking the Trump administration's immediate plan to cut federal funding to the University of California (UC) system. US District Judge Rita Lin made the ruling in response to a lawsuit filed by labor unions and other groups representing UC faculty, students, and employees. They claim the administration is using funding cuts as a means to silence opposing viewpoints at UC, in violation of the Constitution and federal law. The Trump administration has been critical of elite colleges, labeling them as overrun by liberalism and antisemitism. The UC system has been under investigation for allegedly failing to end the use of racial preferences in violation of civil rights law. The administration has also accused UC of allowing antisemitism on campus and has imposed significant fines and halted research funding. University of California President James B. Milliken has warned that the large fines could devastate the UC system, which comprises some of the top public colleges in the nation. The UC system is currently in settlement talks with the administration and is not a party to the lawsuit. The Trump administration has demanded that UC comply with its views on gender identity and establish a process to prevent the admission of foreign students who may engage in anti-American or antisemitic activities. The proposed settlement has sparked controversy, with the administration also striking deals with other universities, including Brown and Columbia, for significant sums of money. This development comes as the Trump administration continues to investigate dozens of universities, claiming they have failed to address allegations of civil rights violations. The ruling by Judge Lin provides a temporary reprieve for the UC system, but the case is likely to continue in the courts.