The Education Department cited 2023 media reports that UC-Berkeley had not reported “hundreds of millions of dollars” in foreign government funding.

The Education Department is launching efforts to crack down on foreign financial influence in U.S. higher education, targeting Harvard University and the University of California Berkeley as a first foray.

UC Berkeley, long a symbol of progressive values, is bracing for funding cuts and immigration actions by U.S. President Donald Trump's administration. Tensions are running high on campus, especially among international students.