- Judge orders over $500 million frozen federal grants to be restored to UCLA.
- Suspension of funds was linked to how UCLA handled pro-Palestinian protests.
- Court says the funding freeze was likely “arbitrary and capricious.”
A U.S. federal judge has directed the administration of President Donald Trump to restore over $500 million in frozen federal grants to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
The funds according to Eko Hot Blog, were withheld earlier this year, following accusations from the Trump administration that UCLA mishandled pro-Palestinian protests on its campus.
The government had alleged that the university failed to address incidents it considered antisemitic during demonstrations against Israel’s military operations in Gaza.
However, Judge Rita Lin, sitting in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, ruled that the indefinite suspension of grants from key federal agencies including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Defense, and Department of Transportation was likely unjustified.
“These indefinite grant suspensions appear to be both arbitrary and lacking in fairness,” Lin stated in her ruling.
She added that the decision to withhold funds was not supported by sufficient evidence or due process.
In August, Judge Lin had already instructed the government to release part of the frozen funding.
Her latest order expands that directive as a preliminary measure while a broader legal challenge proceeds.
The case was brought against the federal government by academic staff, students, and labour unions across the University of California system.
They argue that the Trump administration’s actions threaten academic independence and aim to suppress voices critical of U.S. foreign policy and Israeli military actions.
Protesters including Jewish advocacy groups have maintained that their support for Palestinian rights and criticism of Israel’s military strategy should not be mistaken for hate speech.
They argue that opposing Israeli government policies is not the same as being antisemitic.
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