On October 9, 2025, a sweeping coalition of twenty-one unions and organizations representing University of California (“UC”) faculty, graduate students, nurses, medical residents, researchers, and other academic and staff employees filed a motion asking the Court to preliminarily enjoin what the coalition contends are the Trump administration’s coercive threats to unlawfully cancel federal funding to the UC unless the UC accedes to the administration’s demands to pay more than $1 billion and implement various policies that violate the rights of those on campus.
The motion, which was supported by 60 declarations from the plaintiffs’ representatives and members, explains that the Trump administration’s course of conduct targeting the UC, including its summary termination of $584 million in grant funding to UCLA and threats to terminate further funding unless the UC submits to the administration’s intrusive demands, is causing the plaintiffs and their members irreparable harm. The motion argues that the plaintiffs are likely to prevail on their claims that the defendants’ actions violate constitutional provisions, including the First and Tenth Amendments, as well as federal statutes, including the Administrative Procedure Act, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.
The coalition filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on September 16, 2025. Altshuler Berzon LLP represents the American Association of University Professors, American Federation of Teachers, University Council-American Federation of Teachers, United Auto Workers (UAW), California Nurses Association/National Nurses United, and Committee of Interns and Residents, SEIU. More information about the complaint and coalition is available here, and the amended complaint, filed on October 9, 2025, is available here.
A copy of the Motion for a Preliminary Injunction is available here, and a copy of the Memorandum of Points and Authorities in Support of the Motion is available here. The motion is scheduled for a hearing on November 6, 2025.