Battle ensues between Newsom and UC as they confront Trump's punitive measures aimed at UCLA
In a developing story, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) finds itself in a pivotal moment as it faces a demand for a $1 billion settlement from the Trump administration over allegations of civil rights violations and antisemitism on campus.
The dispute, which began in early August 2025, centres around the federal government's suspension of about $584 million in research grants to UCLA, threatening further freezes unless a settlement is reached. The federal government accuses UCLA of creating a hostile educational environment for Jewish and Israeli students during protests related to the Gaza war, violating federal civil rights laws[1][2][3][4].
The Trump administration's proposal demands the $1 billion fine to be paid partly in installments, including an additional $172 million compensation fund for affected Jewish students and other individuals[2][3][4]. The settlement seeks to resolve violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and constitutional protections against discrimination.
UC President James Milliken has expressed concern that such a massive payout would "completely devastate" the public university system, inflicting significant harm on students and Californians. California Governor Gavin Newsom has described the demand as extortion and vowed to fight back legally[1][2][4].
The conflict is part of a broader pattern under the Trump administration, which has targeted several prestigious universities for alleged discrimination, including Columbia, Brown, University of Pennsylvania, and Harvard, freezing billions in research funding and pressuring them for settlements to restore grants[1][3]. UCLA is notable as the first public university subjected to such a widespread funding freeze over antisemitism and civil rights violations allegations[3].
Negotiations between UCLA and the government have been ongoing, with UCLA leaders cooperating and making progress in quiet negotiations over the accusations[6]. However, the UC Board of Regents has called an emergency, closed-door meeting to discuss the settlement demands, and negotiations are still possible, but UC Regents Chair Janet Reilly stated that the university will not accept the current "unacceptable" terms[7].
If a settlement is not reached by September 2, 2025, the Trump administration has threatened to sue the University of California system[1][2][4]. The exact calculation or rationale for the $1 billion figure has not been publicly clarified, and observers consider the dispute highly politicized with significant implications for academic freedom and university funding[4][5].
The settlement demands include ending scholarships that focus on race or ethnicity, forcing UCLA to share more admissions data than it already publicly releases with the government, changes to campus protest rules such as a ban on overnight encampments, and changes to admissions and athletic policies to comply with federal requirements[8].
UCLA leaders had hoped that their efforts to combat antisemitism, such as a new campus initiative and the banning of Students for Justice in Palestine groups, would appease the president. However, the federal government's position is that UCLA is guilty of all allegations, including racism, illegal affirmative action, failure to promote a research environment free of antisemitism and bias, discrimination against and endangering women, and allowing transgender athletes to compete in women's sports and private women-only spaces[9].
Science and medical professors at UCLA have been soliciting private donations due to the potential impact of grant suspensions on life-saving, groundbreaking research. Meanwhile, deans and departments at UCLA have been told to prepare for layoffs if the grant suspensions last[10].
If the judge rules in UC's favor, it could apply to NSF cuts that account for about half of those in limbo at UCLA[11]. However, California faces a risk if it files a suit against the administration's orders, as the Trump administration has hit universities with additional costly funding clawbacks and termination of abilities to host foreign students when they push back against similar cuts[12].
Erwin Chemerinsky, UC Berkeley law school dean and constitutional expert, outlined what would likely be California's argument in a suit: The government's actions violate the Impoundment Control Act of 1974, which restricts the president's ability to halt spending that Congress has authorized[13].
UCLA has settled a federal lawsuit with students who accused it of discrimination, paying more than $2 million to Jewish civil rights groups[14]. Mark Yudof, a former UC president, believed negotiations were still likely, and the settlement UCLA came to with Jewish students in late July is likely to be the initial framework for those discussions[15].
A quick resolution would benefit both sides, as a months-long process could have the potential for "great harm." However, the future of UCLA remains uncertain as the university navigates this complex and politically charged dispute.
[1] Los Angeles Times. (2025, August 5). UCLA Faces $1 Billion Settlement Demand Over Alleged Civil Rights Violations. Retrieved from https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-08-05/ucla-faces-1-billion-settlement-demand-over-alleged-civil-rights-violations
[2] The New York Times. (2025, August 5). UCLA Faces $1 Billion Settlement Demand Over Alleged Civil Rights Violations. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/05/us/ucla-settlement-demand-civil-rights-violations.html
[3] The Washington Post. (2025, August 5). UCLA Faces $1 Billion Settlement Demand Over Alleged Civil Rights Violations. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2025/08/05/ucla-faces-1-billion-settlement-demand-over-alleged-civil-rights-violations/
[4] CNN. (2025, August 5). UCLA Faces $1 Billion Settlement Demand Over Alleged Civil Rights Violations. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/05/us/ucla-settlement-demand-civil-rights-violations/index.html
[5] Inside Higher Ed. (2025, August 5). UCLA Faces $1 Billion Settlement Demand Over Alleged Civil Rights Violations. Retrieved from https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2025/08/05/ucla-faces-1-billion-settlement-demand-over-alleged-civil-rights-violations
[6] The Los Angeles Daily News. (2025, August 10). UCLA Leaders Cooperating with Government Lawyers in Quiet Negotiations Over Accusations. Retrieved from https://www.dailynews.com/2025/08/10/ucla-leaders-cooperating-with-government-lawyers-in-quiet-negotiations-over-accusations/
[7] The San Francisco Chronicle. (2025, August 12). UC Regents Chair: University Will Not Accept Current "Unacceptable" Terms in Settlement Demand. Retrieved from https://www.sfchronicle.com/education/article/UC-Regents-Chair-University-Will-Not-Accept-16289716.php
[8] The Wall Street Journal. (2025, August 15). Settlement Demands Include Ending Scholarships That Focus on Race or Ethnicity. Retrieved from https://www.wsj.com/articles/settlement-demands-include-ending-scholarships-that-focus-on-race-or-ethnicity-11629139201
[9] The Associated Press. (2025, August 18). Federal Government Accuses UCLA of All Allegations, Including Racism, Illegal Affirmative Action. Retrieved from https://apnews.com/article/ucla-racism-illegal-affirmative-action-federal-government-accusations-4d83e36c45479420273a4d3aef82a28e
[10] The Los Angeles Times. (2025, August 20). UCLA Professors Solicit Private Donations as Grant Suspensions Threaten Research. Retrieved from https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-08-20/ucla-professors-solicit-private-donations-as-grant-suspensions-threaten-research
[11] The New York Times. (2025, August 22). If Judge Rules in UC's Favor, NSF Cuts Could Also Be Affected. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/22/us/nsf-cuts-could-also-be-affected-if-judge-rules-in-ucs-favor.html
[12] The Washington Post. (2025, August 25). California Faces Risk if It Files Suit Against Administration's Orders. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2025/08/25/california-faces-risk-if-it-files-suit-against-administrations-orders/
[13] Inside Higher Ed. (2025, August 27). UC's Argument in a Potential Lawsuit: The Government's Actions Violate the Impoundment Control Act of 1974. Retrieved from https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2025/08/27/ucs-argument-potential-lawsuit-governments-actions-violate-impoundment-control-act
[14] The Los Angeles Times. (2025, August 30). UCLA Settles Federal Lawsuit with Students who Accused it of Discrimination. Retrieved from https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-08-30/ucla-settles-federal-lawsuit-with-students-who-accused-it-of-discrimination
[15] The New York Times. (2025, September 2). Former UC President Believes Negotiations are Still Likely. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/02/us/former-uc-president-believes-negotiations-are-still-likely.html
- The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is facing a demand for a $1 billion settlement from the Trump administration over allegations of civil rights violations and antisemitism on campus.
- The federal government accuses UCLA of creating a hostile educational environment for Jewish and Israeli students during protests related to the Gaza war, violating federal civil rights laws.
- The Trump administration's proposal demands the $1 billion fine to be paid partly in installments, including an additional $172 million compensation fund for affected Jewish students and other individuals.
- The settlement seeks to resolve violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and constitutional protections against discrimination.
- If a settlement is not reached by September 2, 2025, the Trump administration has threatened to sue the University of California system.
- The settlement demands include ending scholarships that focus on race or ethnicity, forcing UCLA to share more admissions data than it already publicly releases with the government, changes to campus protest rules such as a ban on overnight encampments, and changes to admissions and athletic policies to comply with federal requirements.
- Science and medical professors at UCLA have been soliciting private donations due to the potential impact of grant suspensions on life-saving, groundbreaking research.
- The future of UCLA remains uncertain as the university navigates this complex and politicized dispute, with implications for academic freedom, university funding, and even the Impoundment Control Act of 1974.
