University of California President James Milliken alerted state lawmakers that the system would require $4 billion to $5 billion to prevent serious harm if federal funding were cut off, following the Trump administration’s suspension of $584 million in grants to UCLA over antisemitism allegations. UC relies heavily on $5.7 billion in research funds and $1.9 billion in student aid from federal sources annually. Milliken underscored that loss of funds would drive job cuts, reduced services, and a brain drain as researchers leave for more stable opportunities, illustrating the precarious nature of federal dependency amid politicized funding disputes.