A federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration cannot impose fines or cut federal funding to the University of California (UC) over allegations of antisemitism or discrimination. U.S. District Judge Rita Lin issued a preliminary injunction on Friday, preventing the administration from canceling funding without prior notice to affected faculty and a hearing.

The ruling comes after the administration demanded that the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) pay $1.2 billion to restore frozen research funding and ensure future eligibility. UCLA was the first public university targeted by the administration for alleged civil rights violations. Similar actions have also been taken against private institutions, including Columbia University.

In her decision, Judge Lin stated that labor unions and other groups representing UC faculty, students, and employees presented "overwhelming evidence" of a campaign by the Trump administration to eliminate what it perceives as "woke," "left," and "socialist" viewpoints from universities. She noted that officials from the administration, including the President and Vice President, have publicly outlined a strategy to initiate civil rights investigations at major universities to justify cutting federal funding.

Lin emphasized that the administration's actions at UC constituted "coercive and retaliatory conduct" that violated the First and Tenth Amendments. The judge's order will remain in effect indefinitely.

UC President James B. Milliken expressed concern that the proposed fine for UCLA would severely impact the entire UC system, which is recognized as one of the top public university systems in the country. Although UC is currently in settlement discussions with the administration, it is not a party to the lawsuit.

In a statement, the university system reaffirmed its commitment to protecting its mission, governance, and academic freedom. The administration has also demanded that UCLA adhere to its views on gender identity and implement measures to prevent the admission of foreign students who may engage in anti-American or antisemitic behavior.

Judge Lin referenced declarations from UC faculty and staff indicating that the administration's actions were causing them to refrain from teaching or researching topics they felt were too "left" or "woke." Her injunction prohibits the administration from conditioning federal funding on UC's compliance with measures that would infringe upon the rights of faculty and staff under the First Amendment.

The administration has previously reached agreements with other universities, including a $50 million deal with Brown University and a $221 million settlement with Columbia University. President Trump has criticized elite colleges for being dominated by liberal ideologies and antisemitism, claiming that diversity and inclusion initiatives discriminate against white and Asian American students. The administration has launched investigations into numerous universities, alleging violations of civil rights laws regarding racial preferences.