A judge has temporarily barred the federal government from withholding funding from the University of California, marking the latest development in the Trump administration's battle with higher education institutions.
U.S. District Judge Rita Linwrote that a coalition of plaintiffs– which is led by the American Association of University Professors and includes other groups representing faculty, staff and students – "submitted overwhelming evidence" showing that the administration is "engaged in a concerted campaign to purge 'woke,' 'left' and 'socialist' viewpoints from our country's leading universities."
The Justice Departmentopened a civil rights investigation into the University of Californiain March. Theadministration saidit would work to determine whether the school has "engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination based on race, religion and national origin against its professors, staff and other employees by allowing an Antisemitic hostile work environment to exist on its campuses."
The American Association of University Professors filed the lawsuit in September against a slew of administration officials including Trump, Attorney GeneralPam Bondi, Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Thecomplaint accused the defendantsof "targeting, bullying" and taking unconstitutional actions against higher education institutions.
Lin's preliminary injunction, atemporary measure that maintains the status quountil a court hears the merits of the case, concurred with such characterizations. She wrote the administration had "impermissibly conditioned aid in a way that burdens First Amendment rights" and that the plaintiffs were likely to succeed on the merits of the case.
She also referenced the administration's similar efforts at other major schools, including its$200 million settlement with Columbia University, $50 milliondeal with Brown Universityand a loss in a lawsuit over federal funds withheld from Harvard University.
Ina September rulinggranting Harvard's motion for summary judgment, arequest for the courtto rule on a case without going to trial,U.S. District Court Judge Allison Burroughs said the administration hadn't proven a connection between withholding federal funds and efforts to combat antisemitism.
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"In fact, a review of the administrative record makes it difficult to conclude anything other than that Defendants used antisemitism as a smokescreen for a targeted, ideologically-motivated assault on this country's premier universities, and did so in a way that runs afoul of the (Administrative Procedure Act,) the First Amendment and Title VI," Burroughs wrote.
The Trumpadministration vowed to appealthe Harvard funding case.
USA TODAY reached out to the White House, the Department of Education and the Department of State for comment on the California ruling. The Justice Department declined to comment.
BrieAnna Frank is a First Amendment reporter at USA TODAY. Reach her atbjfrank@usatoday.com.
USA TODAY's coverage of First Amendment issues is funded through a collaboration between the Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners.Funders do not provide editorial input.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Trump can't withhold University of California funding, judge rules
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