Washington: A federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration must reinstate over $500 million in frozen federal grants to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), reversing a controversial funding freeze imposed earlier this year. The suspension, totaling $584 million, had been implemented in August following federal criticism of UCLA’s handling of pro-Palestinian protests on campus.
The protests, which coincided with escalating tensions in Gaza, drew attention for displaying messages that some federal officials described as antisemitic. UCLA administrators maintained that these demonstrations represented legitimate advocacy for Palestinian rights and should not be conflated with extremism. The freeze of National Institutes of Health grants sparked nationwide debate over academic freedom and federal oversight of universities.
U.S. District Judge Rita Lin, presiding in the Northern District of California, described the indefinite suspension as “likely arbitrary and capricious.” Her decision emphasizes that federal agencies must adhere to established legal standards when managing institutional funding. Lin had previously intervened to restore portions of the suspended grants, and her latest ruling now secures the release of the remaining funds.
The reinstatement is expected to provide vital support for UCLA’s research programs, which rely heavily on federal funding. Beyond the immediate financial impact, the ruling highlights a broader legal principle: universities’ rights to facilitate peaceful advocacy and academic discourse cannot be curtailed arbitrarily through federal funding restrictions.
This case marks one of several recent instances in which federal courts have scrutinized executive actions affecting institutional grants, reflecting ongoing tensions between government authority and the autonomy of higher education institutions.