The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) announced that the Trump administration has suspended $584 million in federal research grants, citing concerns over alleged antisemitism on campus. The university warned that the suspension poses a serious threat to ongoing research and national progress in science and health.

UCLA Chancellor Julio Frenk expressed deep concern in a statement, saying, “If these funds remain suspended, it will be devastating for UCLA and for Americans across the nation whose work, health, and future depend on our research.”

The U.S. Department of Justice launched a civil rights investigation into the university, alleging it was “deliberately indifferent” to the harassment of Jewish and Israeli students during pro-Palestinian protests in 2024. The suspension of funding followed the probe’s findings.

University of California President James Milliken also responded, stating that the UC system is in dialogue with federal authorities to resolve the matter. “These cuts do nothing to address antisemitism,” Milliken said. “The extensive work UCLA and the UC system have done to combat antisemitism has apparently been ignored.”

Just last week, UCLA agreed to pay $6.45 million to settle a lawsuit over the mistreatment of Jewish students and a professor during the protests.

The case has sparked national attention, with UCLA being the largest of the 10-campus University of California system. It is among at least 60 universities—also including Harvard, Yale, and Columbia—under federal investigation for alleged antisemitic discrimination on campus.

The outcome of these probes and funding disputes could have broad implications for university research programs and federal oversight of campus climate issues across the U.S.