Judge Tells Trump Administration to Reinstate UCLA’s Suspended Grant Funds

A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to reinstate part of the $584 million in federal research funds it recently suspended from UCLA. The suspension was linked to the university’s handling of pro-Palestinian protests, but the court says the move violated a standing injunction meant to protect University of California grants from political interference.

Ruling

U.S. District Judge Rita Lin, based in San Francisco, issued the order on Tuesday. Her decision reaffirmed a preliminary injunction from June that blocked the National Science Foundation (NSF) from cancelling or suspending UC system grants without proper cause.

In the new ruling, Lin wrote that the NSF’s actions directly violated that court order. She emphasized that suspending grants, rather than terminating them outright, still results in the same harm—disrupted research, halted academic progress, and job losses.

Funding

Last week, UCLA reported that federal agencies had frozen $584 million in research funds. The suspensions came amid widespread campus protests over Israel’s military actions in Gaza, with Trump officials accusing universities like UCLA of allowing antisemitism on campus.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Judge Lin’s latest order requires the restoration of more than a third of that suspended funding, providing immediate relief for researchers and students affected by the freeze.

Settlement Offer

The ruling comes as the University of California considers a $1 billion settlement offer from the Trump administration. The terms reportedly include policy changes related to scholarships, campus protest regulations, and oversight of alleged antisemitic incidents.

University officials said such a settlement would severely harm UCLA. Governor Gavin Newsom also condemned the offer, calling it extortion by the federal government.

Political Context

The Trump administration has stepped up efforts to hold universities accountable for their handling of pro-Palestinian protests, especially when those demonstrations involve criticism of U.S. ally Israel. Officials argue that some of the protests crossed into antisemitism and created hostile environments for Jewish students.

However, protestors—including several Jewish advocacy groups—say their actions are being mischaracterized. They argue that criticism of Israel’s policies is not antisemitic and that their support for Palestinian rights is being unfairly equated with extremism.

Campus Incidents

UCLA has been at the center of several high-profile incidents. In 2024, a violent attack on pro-Palestinian protesters led to a lawsuit against the university. UCLA also recently agreed to pay over $6 million to settle another case involving antisemitism on campus.

The government has already reached settlements with Columbia University ($220 million) and Brown University ($50 million), both of which agreed to policy changes. Settlement discussions with Harvard are still underway.

University	Settlement Amount	Status
UCLA	Proposed $1 billion	Under review
Columbia University	$220 million	Settled
Brown University	$50 million	Settled
Harvard University	Undisclosed	Talks ongoing

Broader Concerns

Rights groups warn that the Trump administration’s actions raise major questions about free speech and academic freedom. While there has been documented growth in antisemitism, advocates say there’s also been a rise in anti-Arab bias and Islamophobia, yet the government hasn’t pursued those issues with the same energy.

The UCLA case could be a turning point. It tests whether federal funding can be used as leverage to influence university policy—and whether the courts will allow it.

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