Overview
- In August, a California appeals court found UC had not shown sufficient legal grounds for its hiring ban and directed the system to reassess the policy using the proper state‑law criteria.
- UC said it is assessing its options and warned the ruling poses legal risks under the federal Immigration Reform and Control Act, including potential litigation, fines, criminal exposure, and threats to federal funding.
- The appellate decision does not strike down the policy but keeps pressure on UC to provide a lawful justification if it chooses to maintain the ban.
- Plaintiffs and immigrant‑rights advocates welcomed the outcome, with plaintiff Iliana Perez urging UC to open campus job opportunities for students without legal status.
- UC currently hires students with DACA work authorization, but new applicants have been blocked for years, and the dispute unfolds as the system confronts federal grant suspensions and a proposed fine tied to civil‑rights allegations at UCLA.