Trump administration withdraws request for court order blocking UCLA’s $1.2 billion payment
The Trump administration has withdrawn its request for a major higher education lawsuit in which a federal judge had blocked the government’s proposal to pay UCLA $1.2-billion for alleged human rights violations.
In Wednesday’s appeal to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, Justice Department attorneys asked the justices to dismiss the appeal they filed last month seeking to overturn the lower court’s decision. The November ruling — a major victory for UC employees who had sued — halted the fine and a 27-page document detailing the Trump administration’s demands to force the university to look ahead.
The settlement proposal called for major changes at UCLA — and by extension all of UC — including a ban on diversity-related scholarships, restrictions on international student enrollment, a declaration that transgender people do not exist, an end to health care that confirms the sex of children, restrictions on free speech, and unrestricted sharing of employee data with the government.
The Trump administration sent the proposal and payment demand to UC leaders on August 8, about 10 days after freezing $584 million in federal research funding on campus. The government said it suspended the funds because UCLA violated the law by using race as a factor in admissions, recognizing the gender of transgender people, and by not taking seriously the complaints of opposition during the 2024 Palestinian protests.
UCLA said it followed the law in all cases.
Official background
A number of UC faculty groups and unions sued to win the preliminary injunction. C is not a party to the crime. Officials say the program cannot afford the fine, and have announced they are willing to negotiate with the Trump administration.
The government’s decision to withdraw the complaint – less than a month after filing it – does not mean that it stops pursuing the University of California, which is the largest public university to face investigation since the White House launched a campaign against campuses that it sees as relying too much on diversity, equity and inclusion programs, foreign students and left-wing ideas.
The UCLA case will continue to be heard in district court, where it is currently in the discovery process and could eventually go to trial.
The DOJ, which typically does not comment on litigation, did not respond to The Times’ request for comment on the appeals court’s decision.
UC Irvine law professor Veena Dubal, who is general counsel for plaintiff American Assn. University professors, applauded the DOJ’s action.
“The Trump administration’s decision not to challenge this preliminary order means that in the future, they will not be able to use civil rights laws or federal funding as a way to get UC back on track,” Dubal said.
As part of the plea deal, the Trump administration filed a joint motion with Dubal’s clients in federal district court to overturn the November sentence. On Friday, US District Judge Rita F. Lin of the Northern District of California – who is presiding over the case – granted the request.
Order changes
The amended order “does not prevent the voluntary settlement of human rights investigations and lawsuits” with the UC.
The review also says the government cannot “force UC to agree to any terms” of the August settlement offer in violation of the First Amendment or the 10th Amendment when it comes to awarding, withholding or terminating federal grants.
The 1st Amendment protects free speech — an area where the Trump administration has faced court losses during its campaign against campus DEI. The 10th Amendment states that powers not granted to the federal government by the Constitution are reserved to the states and the American people.
In a statement, UC spokeswoman Rachel Zaentz said the university “remains focused on our core mission of innovation, advancing medical excellence and strengthening national competitiveness for the long term.”
Zaentz, UC’s executive director of strategic and strategic communications, said he “remains committed to protecting the mission, governance and academic freedom of the university.”
The DOJ’s move comes as the Trump administration has continued to take other actions against UC and other American universities.
On Friday, the federal government sued Harvard University in federal court, accusing it of refusing to provide records proving it does not use affirmative action.
The Trump administration has accused UCLA of violating civil rights by using race in its admissions process — allegations UC denies.
Last month, the administration moved to cooperate with a lawsuit brought by the anti-affirmative action group Do No Harm accusing UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine of illegally considering race in its admissions process. In documents filed in the Central District of California, the DOJ alleges that UCLA’s medical school used “procedural discrimination” in admissions that favored black and Latino applicants over white and Asian Americans — charges UCLA denies.
