Muslim Group Demands UC Berkeley’s Records on Antisemitism Probe

URGENT UPDATE: A national Muslim civil liberties organization has just filed a formal request demanding UC Berkeley disclose all information regarding its cooperation with a federal investigation into antisemitism. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) submitted a California Public Records Act request on November 21, 2023, following revelations that the university shared the names of 160 students, staff, and faculty with federal authorities.

WHY THIS MATTERS: The rights of students and faculty are at stake as concerns mount over privacy and trust in the university environment. CAIR’s civil rights managing attorney, Jeffrey Wang, expressed alarm at the university’s actions, stating, “UC Berkeley’s decision to hand personal information about its own community members to the federal government is a grave breach of trust.” The implications of this cooperation could have lasting effects on academic freedom and civil liberties.

The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Department of Education and the Department of Justice, which began examining UC Berkeley since early 2025. Officials are scrutinizing whether the university has been discriminatory by allowing antisemitism to flourish on campus. This investigation is part of a broader trend, with universities nationwide facing similar probes amid rising tensions following the Israel-Hamas war that has claimed the lives of nearly 70,000 Palestinians and 1,200 Israelis.

UC Berkeley’s decision to comply with federal requests has ignited backlash from the academic community. Student groups, including UC Berkeley Students for Justice in Palestine, and hundreds of academics have raised concerns, urging transparency and accountability. University spokesperson Janet Gilmore stated that the decision to share documents was made by the university’s systemwide Office of the General Counsel to comply with legal obligations.

Under the terms of the records request, CAIR aims to uncover what specific documents were shared with federal officials, the legal basis for this sharing, and who ultimately decided to cooperate. “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,” Wang emphasized.

WHAT’S NEXT: As this situation develops, the university community and concerned citizens are watching closely. The outcome of CAIR’s records request could reveal critical information about the university’s practices and the impact of federal investigations on academic freedom. The urgency of maintaining transparency and accountability in public institutions remains paramount as students and faculty await further developments.

Stay tuned for more updates on this unfolding story as we continue to monitor the situation at UC Berkeley and the potential implications for civil liberties on campuses across the nation.