138 California Colleges Face DOJ Complaint Over Alleged Discrimination Against American-Born Students

A civil rights organization has formally requested the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate 138 public colleges and universities across California. The complaint, filed by the Equal Protection Project (EPP) of the Legal Insurrection Foundation on December 1, 2025, alleges that programs designed for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and "undocumented" students unlawfully exclude American-born students from key benefits.

The EPP argues that these programs, spanning the University of California, California State University, and California Community College systems, offer exclusive access to resources such as dedicated funding, staff, counseling, advocacy, and professional development opportunities. According to the complaint, these benefits are restricted to DACA recipients and undocumented students, effectively sidelining American-born counterparts.

Cornell Law School professor William Jacobson, president of the EPP, stated, "This is state-sponsored discrimination, so it cannot be fixed at the state level." He further warned that if federal action is not taken, "the discrimination against American-born students throughout California higher education will continue unabated." The EPP contends that these practices violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.

The complaint cites examples such as UC Berkeley's Undocumented Student Program, which has been in place since 2012 and serves nearly 500 students annually with various support services. Timothy R. Snowball, EPP senior attorney, expressed his dismay, noting, "If our own institutions of higher education discriminate against American-born students, how can we trust those institutions to educate the next generation of leaders?"

This action follows previous efforts by the EPP, which has challenged over 600 programs nationwide for alleged discrimination. The DOJ has also previously taken legal action against California concerning its policies on in-state tuition and financial aid for undocumented students. Fox News Digital reached out to the implicated California college systems for comment but did not receive immediate responses, though CSU's website generally defends its support for undocumented students.