‘Enormous breach of trust’: UC Berkeley hands over personal info of over 160 students and staff to Trump administration

Among those named is Judith Butler, a prominent feminist philosopher and queer theorist, who called the disclosures “an enormous breach of trust.” Butler, a Jewish scholar critical of Israel, warned the consequences could be “really terrible,” especially for international students and vulnerable faculty who risk deportation, expulsion or harassment.

UC Berkeley confirmed the decision was made by the University of California system’s general counsel, citing federal oversight requirements. Butler said normal university procedures had been suspended, meaning even anonymous allegations were forwarded without review.

As reported by The Guardian, Butler compared the move to “a well-known practice from the McCarthy Era,” asking: “Will those of us named now be branded on a government list? Will our travel be restricted? Will our email communications be surveilled?”

What is McCarthy era

McCarthy era refers to the period in 1950s America when Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin led a wave of investigations and hearings aimed at rooting out alleged communist influence in the US government and other institutions. Over time, the term has come to symbolise the practice of tarnishing reputations through sweeping, unproven accusations — often amplified in public without solid evidence, as per Britannica encyclopedia.

A UC spokesperson said the institution must comply with federal investigations but is “committed to protecting the privacy of our students, faculty and staff to the greatest extent possible.”

The Trump administration has threatened to cut federal funding to universities accused of allowing antisemitism during pro-Palestinian protests. Officials have also attempted, unsuccessfully, to deport foreign students involved in demonstrations.

Critics, including Jewish pro-Palestinian groups, argue the government is conflating legitimate criticism of Israel’s military actions in Gaza and its occupation of Palestinian territories with antisemitism. Rights advocates say Trump’s crackdown risks undermining free speech, due process and academic freedom across US campuses, Reuters reported.

The controversy at Berkeley comes as elite universities nationwide face similar probes. In July, Columbia University agreed to pay more than $220 million and Brown University $50 million to settle investigations. Talks with Harvard are ongoing. The government also sought a $1 billion settlement from the University of California, Los Angeles — a demand California Governor Gavin Newsom dismissed as “an extortion attempt.”

Civil rights groups note that while antisemitism, Islamophobia and anti-Arab bias have risen amid the war in Gaza, the administration has not launched equivalent investigations into Islamophobia on campus.