HAMILTON, Canada 

The US Justice Department has opened an investigation into the University of California system over concerns that it may be using race- and sex-based criteria in its hiring practices, according to a statement Thursday.

The investigation will examine the university system's "UC 2030 Capacity Plan," which aims to expand faculty hiring and diversify staff across its 10 campuses, including UCLA and UC Berkeley.

The statement said the plan may involve illegal employment quotas based on race and sex, which would violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a federal law that prohibits workplace discrimination.

"Public employers are bound by federal laws that prohibit racial and other employment discrimination," said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division in the statement. "Institutional directives that use race- and sex-based hiring practices expose employers to legal risk under federal law."

The Civil Rights Division's Employment Litigation Section will lead the investigation into whether the university system has engaged in a pattern or practice of unlawful discrimination, it added.

The probe comes in light of a broader push by the Trump administration to review federally funded institutions. The University of California, one of the largest public university systems in the US, receives billions of dollars annually in federal research and education funding.

The University of California and California State University systems are facing at least 3% budget cuts this year.

If violations are found, the Justice Department may pursue legal action or recommend changes that could impact the university's access to federal funding.