The San Francisco Bay Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-SFBA), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned the Trump administration’s subpoena of personal information belonging to hundreds of University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) faculty members who signed petitions related to the Israel-Gaza war, calling it a clear attempt to intimidate educators and chill constitutionally protected free speech.
SEE: UC Berkeley professors sought by Trump Administration for signing Israel-Hamas petitions
Filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the subpoena demands names, email addresses, phone numbers, and dates of hire for professors who signed open letters in 2023 and 2024—letters that expressed concern for civilian life in Gaza and condemned both antisemitism and Islamophobia on campus. The administration has publicly framed the subpoena as part of an effort to root out antisemitism in higher education. However, this move is part of a broader pattern by the administration to target individuals advocating for Palestinian human rights and suppress political dissent on college campuses.
In a statement, CAIR-SFBA Civil Rights Managing Attorney Jeffrey Wang said:
“The administration’s demand for personal information of UC Berkeley professors threatens the very essence of academic and political freedom. Targeting educators for their political views sets a perilous precedent and undermines the constitutional rights of free speech and association. We stand in solidarity with the UC Berkeley faculty and call on the university to resist this unwarranted intrusion.”
This incident is not isolated. Similar tactics have been employed at other institutions. For instance, CAIR previously warned Columbia University about the legal ramifications of complying with congressional subpoenas seeking student disciplinary records—actions viewed as attempts to suppress campus activism and stifle dissent.
Furthermore, the administration’s broader strategy includes executive orders aimed at penalizing college students and lawful permanent residents who participate in pro-Palestinian activism, threatening them with deportation. CAIR has labeled these measures as dishonest, overbroad, and unenforceable attacks on free speech and student advocacy.
CAIR-SFBA urges UC Berkeley to uphold its commitment to protecting the privacy and constitutional rights of its faculty members. We also call upon all academic institutions to remain vigilant against governmental overreach that seeks to stifle free expression and academic inquiry.
“Antisemitism is real and must be challenged wherever it exists,” said Wang. “But this isn’t about fighting antisemitism. It’s about weaponizing the language of civil rights to stifle advocacy for Palestinian lives. We will not allow that to go unchecked.”
CAIR-SFBA is an office of CAIR, America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
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CONTACT: CAIR-SFBA Communications Manager Lorrie Adam, 408.498.5779, ladam@cair.com