WASHINGTON (BN24) — The Trump administration’s Justice Department has opened a civil rights investigation into the University of California’s hiring practices, examining whether the public university system’s push to diversify its faculty may violate federal anti-discrimination laws.
In a statement issued Thursday, the department confirmed that its Civil Rights Division will scrutinize whether the University of California has engaged in a “pattern or practice” of employment discrimination by using race and sex as factors in faculty hiring decisions. The investigation marks the latest escalation in President Donald Trump’s broader crackdown on what his administration views as political bias and unequal treatment at U.S. academic institutions.
“Institutional directives that use race- and sex-based hiring practices expose employers to legal risk under federal law,” said Harmeet Dhillon, assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division. The inquiry will determine whether any practices violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
The investigation zeroes in on the University of California’s multi-campus strategic plan, which explicitly lists boosting the number of underrepresented minority and female faculty as a priority goal. Justice Department officials argue such directives could amount to unlawful quotas or preferences.
A spokesperson for the University of California responded in a statement that the university system “is committed to fair and lawful processes in all of our programs and activities, consistent with federal and state anti-discrimination laws.”
“The University also aims to foster a campus environment where everyone is welcomed and supported,” the spokesperson said, adding that UC would cooperate “in good faith” with federal authorities.
The inquiry adds to a growing list of confrontations between the Trump administration and institutions of higher learning over issues of identity, equality, and academic freedom. The administration has already launched probes into campus responses to antisemitism, sought to restrict federal research funding, and threatened universities with legal action over policies it views as discriminatory or ideologically driven.
The University of California system, which spans 10 campuses and employs more than 20,000 faculty members, is widely seen as a national leader in diversity and inclusion initiatives. But officials in Washington say those efforts must not override legal protections against discrimination.
The move is expected to further strain relations between the Trump White House and California’s Democratic leaders, who have frequently clashed over immigration, education, and civil rights. Governor Gavin Newsom has already taken the administration to court over federal intervention in California’s National Guard deployments, and additional legal challenges may follow depending on the outcome of the hiring probe.
Tensions have also escalated over state legislation that allows transgender athletes to compete on girls’ teams in public schools, a law the Justice Department is reviewing separately as part of its broader challenge to progressive policies in the Golden State.
