Class-action lawsuit alleges National Science Foundation violated First Amendment rights by targeting research on climate science, STEM education, and underserved communities
CALIFORNIA — Today, three California State University researchers filed a federal class-action lawsuit against the Trump administration's National Science Foundation (NSF), challenging the termination of previously approved research grants based on their academic viewpoints and research topics.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California by Lawyers for Good Government (L4GG) and Stuart Alban Law, PC (Stuart Alban Law), alleges that NSF unlawfully terminated merit-reviewed grants supporting climate science education, teacher preparation, and expanded participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.
Read the full complaint HERE
According to the complaint, the terminations followed an October 2024 report from Sen. Ted Cruz that flagged NSF-funded research using keywords such as “equity,” “diversity,” “inclusion,” “climate justice,” and “underrepresented.” The lawsuit alleges NSF subsequently adopted Sen. Cruz’s screening approach to mass-terminate previously awarded grants, without identifying scientific deficiencies or violations of grant conditions. The complaint states that NSF’s actions and efforts to implement certain executive orders issued by President Trump were in direct contravention of NSF’s congressionally mandated goals and policies.
The three named plaintiffs, representing themselves and similarly situated CSU researchers, include:
Dr. Tammie Visintainer, whose NSF CAREER award supported community-based climate science education for middle and high school teachers and students. The grant was terminated mid-project, disrupting her research and educational activities.
Dr. Melissa Navarro Martell, whose research focused on preparing and retaining bilingual science and engineering teachers and improving educational opportunities for Latiné students. Her first federal award as a co-principal investigator was terminated before the project could fully launch as planned.
Dr. Karina Garbesi, whose grant supported climate science education in low-income public schools. Following the termination, her university employment ended.
“Federal research grants are supposed to be awarded based on scientific merit, not whether an administration approves of the researcher’s political views,” said Kunyu Ching, attorney with Lawyers for Good Government. “Our clients went through the government's own rigorous review process, only to have their funding pulled because of the viewpoints their work was presumed to represent. The First Amendment does not permit the government to punish researchers simply because it disagrees with the words they use to explain their work.”
“Behind these canceled grants are years of research, professional commitments, and opportunities for students and communities that may never be recovered,” said Courtney Stuart-Alban of Stuart Alban Law, co-counsel for the plaintiffs. “Our clients were penalized for carrying out the National Science Foundation’s statutory mission to expand opportunity in STEM for all Americans. Their work should be judged on its merits, not screened under politically motivated viewpoint criteria.”
The complaint argues that NSF's actions violate the First and Fifth Amendments, the Administrative Procedure Act, and constitutional limits on executive authority. Plaintiffs are seeking declaratory and injunctive relief to set aside the NSF’s unlawful actions and prevent NSF from penalizing researchers based on their political or academic viewpoints.
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Lawyers for Good Government (L4GG) is a nonprofit organization that harnesses the power of 125,000 lawyers, law students, and advocates in the fight for justice. We identify where lawyers can make the greatest impact and mobilize them to defend democracy and the rule of law, protect civil and human rights, and advance environmental justice through coordinated legal action and advocacy efforts that create meaningful change for all Americans.
Stuart Alban Law, PC is a Los Angeles-area boutique litigation firm co-owned and led by Courtney Stuart-Alban and Juan Pablo Alban. The firm represents plaintiffs in complex commercial litigation and consumer class actions, and is committed to impact litigation that serves the public interest.