Federal Judge Orders Restoration of NSF Grants to UCLA

A federal judge has mandated the Trump administration to restore National Science Foundation grants previously withheld from UCLA. This decision follows accusations of politically motivated funding cuts. The ruling, delivered by Judge Rita F. Lin, challenges the administration's justification for suspending these crucial research funds.

A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to restore National Science Foundation (NSF) grants that were previously withheld from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Judge Rita F. Lin ruled that the suspension of these funds was arbitrary and capricious, violating her earlier court order. The administration has until August 19 to comply with the mandate.

The exact amount of funding to be restored remains unclear. UCLA claims the Trump administration paused USD 584 million in federal grants from various agencies. Lin's ruling specifically addresses the NSF grants, previously halted as part of the administration's campaign against universities seen as opposing its political objectives.

UCLA researchers deemed the funding cuts abrupt and unexplained, prompting a successful legal challenge. Despite this, the NSF issued new form letters in July, citing program goals and policies at UCLA as reasons for funding termination. Judge Lin dismissed the administration's defense of these as semantics and upheld her original decision demanding clarity in explaining funding decisions.

(With inputs from agencies.)