University of California Labor Union Sues Trump Administration for Withholding Funding

Last week, 20 California labor unions filed a federal lawsuit against the trump administration, challenging the administration’s threats to cut funding for the University of California campuses. 

They argue in their lawsuit that the administration’s cuts are illegal violations of free speech. 

UC Irvine professor of law, Veena Dubal shared more in a press conference: 

“We have sued the Trump Administration and their unlawful and unconstitutional authoritarian attacks on our members, our system of higher education, and on our state. The University of California is the historic heart of the free speech movement.” 

The Trump Administration threatens to withhold $17 billion in funding unless the UC campuses meet their demands. Their demands require the UC’s to provide government access to student and staff data, allowing immigration enforcement in hospitals, releasing admissions and hiring information, restricting gender affirming care for minors, and labeling bathroom access based on sex assigned at birth. 

The labor unions argue these demands are unconstitutional. The alliance in the lawsuit is made up of tens of thousands of faculty, students, and staff across all 10 UC campuses in the state.