Muslim Group Seeks Clarity on UC Berkeley’s Federal Antisemitism Cooperation

A national Muslim civil liberties organization has formally requested information from the University of California, Berkeley, regarding its cooperation with a federal investigation into antisemitism on campus. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) submitted a request under the California Public Records Act on November 21, 2023, following revelations that the university shared personal information of 160 students, staff, and faculty members with the federal government.

The inquiry comes amid concerns that the rights of individuals within the university community may have been compromised. Jeffrey Wang, the civil rights managing attorney for CAIR’s San Francisco Bay Area office, characterized the university’s actions as a “grave breach of trust,” particularly given the current political climate surrounding issues of civil liberties. He stated, “Students and faculty should not have to wonder whether their university is quietly feeding their names into federal investigations because of what they believe, what they teach, or what protests they attended.”

UC Berkeley Assistant Vice Chancellor Dan Mogulof declined to comment on the records request.

The U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Justice initiated an investigation into the University of California system in early 2025. They aim to determine if the university has discriminated against students, staff, and faculty by allegedly allowing antisemitism to proliferate on campus. This inquiry is part of a broader trend, with several universities across the nation facing similar scrutiny in the wake of significant student protests advocating for the severance of academic and financial ties with Israel.

These protests have intensified following the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, which has reportedly resulted in the deaths of nearly 70,000 Palestinians and 1,200 Israelis, according to the Associated Press.

In a previous statement, university spokesperson Janet Gilmore noted that the decision to comply with the federal investigation was made by the University of California’s systemwide Office of the General Counsel. She explained that the office shared various documents with the federal authorities in August. Students and faculty members were informed of this data sharing in a subsequent email in September.

The university’s cooperation with the investigation has faced significant backlash from various segments of the academic community. Notably, UC Berkeley Students for Justice in Palestine, a student-led advocacy group, has voiced strong objections. Additionally, hundreds of academics from around the world have signed a letter expressing concern about the university’s actions, addressed to James Milliken, President of the University of California, and Richard Lyons, Chancellor of UC Berkeley.

Under the California Public Records Act request, CAIR seeks clarity on the nature of the documents shared with federal authorities, the legal rationale behind this sharing, and the decision-making process that led to the university’s cooperation. Wang emphasized that California’s public institutions owe their communities “transparency, accountability, and respect for their rights — not secret dossiers.”

The outcome of this situation could have significant implications for the university’s policies on civil liberties and its relationship with both students and federal authorities moving forward.