UC Berkeley has disclosed the names of 160 students, faculty, and staff to President Trump’s Department of Education in connection with an ongoing antisemitism investigation. The move has triggered outrage among campus activists and leftist faculty, who claim it undermines free speech and academic freedom. University officials say the disclosure was a legal obligation under federal law.
The investigation, led by the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), follows a rise in antisemitic incidents tied to pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campus. The Department of Education requested internal communications, including names, related to protests and classroom activity that may have created a hostile environment for Jewish students. On September 4, the individuals whose names were handed over were notified by email.
Among the names released is Judith Butler, a well-known leftist philosopher and vocal anti-Israel advocate. Butler and others claim they were not informed of any charges or allowed to respond. She described the process as “Kafka-land,” a sentiment echoed in a letter signed by over 600 professors who accused the university of violating its own values of academic freedom and expression.
The protest letter complains that UC Berkeley “capitulated” to federal pressure from President Trump’s administration. Signatories argue that the university betrayed its supposed commitment to due process and transparency by handing over personal data without first notifying those involved. Faculty unions and legal groups are now considering lawsuits against the Department of Education and the UC system.
Despite the backlash, UC Berkeley officials have defended the action, citing their obligation to comply with federal investigations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. The law requires schools that receive federal funding to address discrimination, including antisemitism. The Trump administration has made campus antisemitism a priority, especially after a wave of anti-Israel activism intensified following the Hamas terror attacks and Israel’s military response.
