Return to ‘McCarthyism’: UC Berkeley discloses 160 names to the Trump administration

The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) has provided the names of 160 faculty members and students to the Trump administration as part of an investigation into “antisemitic incidents.” A targeted academic described this action as a “practice from the McCarthy era.”

UC Berkeley, a top public institution, sent a letter to affected campus members last week, explaining that university lawyers had added their names to reports submitted to the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR). The Department of Education is targeting universities nationwide as part of Donald Trump’s crackdown on pro-Palestinian activism, international students, and academic freedom.

Renowned feminist theorist Judith Butler received a letter from UC Berkeley’s chief campus counsel, David Robinson, stating that the OCR was investigating “allegations of antisemitic harassment and discrimination” and had requested the “submission of extensive documents.”

Butler, a Jewish academic who is critical of Israel, said she questioned Robinson about the disclosures on Friday but received no information regarding the specific allegations.

“We have the right to know the accusations against us, who made them, to review them, and to defend ourselves. But none of that has happened, so we are living in a Kafkaesque world… This is a major breach of trust,” Butler stated.

Butler also recalled that UC Berkeley was the center of the free speech movement in the 1960s, adding, “We are a place where controversial public issues can be freely discussed. We have different views on the Israel-Palestine issue. We need to listen to them even if they make us uncomfortable. This is the spirit of this place that I have defended and endorsed for 30 years. That is why this situation is so sad and shameful.”

UC Berkeley officials confirmed on Friday that 160 individuals, including faculty, students, and staff, had received warning letters about the disclosure of their information, and said the decision to send the information to the Trump administration was made by the general counsel of the University of California system.

Butler said she learned that the list of names also included international students, lecturers, and part-time faculty members.

“The consequences of this compliance could be truly terrible for the lives of many people, most of whom are much more vulnerable than I am,” said Butler, who is semi-retired but continues to have some responsibilities as a professor in the graduate school. “International students, in particular, could suffer from many things, such as deportation, expulsion, job loss, harassment, and surveillance.”

Butler also stated that she was told the university’s normal procedures for handling complaints had been suspended. This situation appears to have stripped faculty members of their right to respond to allegations or receive basic information about the investigations.

“This means that allegations sent to the administration, including anonymous ones, are simply being forwarded without adjudication… We don’t know if we ourselves are being accused of antisemitism or if our names are merely associated with an allegation,” Butler said.

Butler stated that UC Berkeley’s counsel refused to share the contents of the files sent to the Trump administration with her. A spokesperson for UC Berkeley declined to comment on Butler’s allegations, deferring to the office of the university president.

Rachel Zaentz, a spokesperson for the UC president, said, “Like all public universities, the University of California is subject to oversight by state and federal agencies. Our campuses regularly receive requests for documents in connection with government audits, compliance reviews, or investigations. While fulfilling its legal obligations, UC is committed to protecting the privacy of our students, faculty, and staff to the fullest extent possible.”

Butler questioned why the university did not resist the government’s demands, citing the presidents of other institutions who have stated they would not bow to certain federal requests in order to protect academic freedom.

“This is shocking… Did you consider not complying with this request?” Butler asked.