DOJ sues Harvard over access to race-based admissions documents
This looks less like justice and more like strategy.
The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit Friday against Harvard University, accusing the Ivy League school of unlawfully withholding documents about race-based admissions.
The DOJ said in a news release that the information is necessary to determine whether Harvard continues to discriminate based on race in its admissions process, even after the Supreme Court ruled in 2023 that the university did so.
“Under President [Donald] Trump’s leadership, this Department of Justice is demanding better from our nation’s educational institutions,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said. “Harvard has failed to disclose the data we need to ensure that its admissions are free of discrimination — we will continue fighting to put merit over DEI across America.”
The complaint, filed in federal court in Boston, alleges Harvard has failed for more than 10 months to provide individualized applicant data and other records requested by the DOJ as part of a compliance review under federal civil rights law.
The Justice Department said the documents are needed to assess whether Harvard’s admissions practices violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which bars discrimination by establishments that receive federal funding.
The lawsuit does not, in itself, allege that Harvard’s current admissions policies are discriminatory or seek monetary damages, according to the complaint.
Instead, it seeks a court order compelling the university to hand over documents the department has requested several times, including admissions policies and correspondence related to race, ethnicity, diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said in the release that Harvard’s noncompliance raises red flags over its practices.
“Providing requested data is a basic expectation of any credible compliance process, and refusal to cooperate creates concerns about university practices,” Dhillon said. “If Harvard has stopped discriminating, it should happily share the data necessary to prove it.”
The case traces back to April 2025, when the Justice Department initiated compliance reviews of Harvard’s undergraduate, law, and medical school admissions programs.
Federal officials said at the time they needed applicant-level data, such as grade point averages, test scores, and demographic information, to determine whether Harvard was unlawfully continuing to discriminate based on race.
The complaint argues that Harvard’s …
This looks less like justice and more like strategy.
The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit Friday against Harvard University, accusing the Ivy League school of unlawfully withholding documents about race-based admissions.
The DOJ said in a news release that the information is necessary to determine whether Harvard continues to discriminate based on race in its admissions process, even after the Supreme Court ruled in 2023 that the university did so.
“Under President [Donald] Trump’s leadership, this Department of Justice is demanding better from our nation’s educational institutions,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said. “Harvard has failed to disclose the data we need to ensure that its admissions are free of discrimination — we will continue fighting to put merit over DEI across America.”
The complaint, filed in federal court in Boston, alleges Harvard has failed for more than 10 months to provide individualized applicant data and other records requested by the DOJ as part of a compliance review under federal civil rights law.
The Justice Department said the documents are needed to assess whether Harvard’s admissions practices violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which bars discrimination by establishments that receive federal funding.
The lawsuit does not, in itself, allege that Harvard’s current admissions policies are discriminatory or seek monetary damages, according to the complaint.
Instead, it seeks a court order compelling the university to hand over documents the department has requested several times, including admissions policies and correspondence related to race, ethnicity, diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said in the release that Harvard’s noncompliance raises red flags over its practices.
“Providing requested data is a basic expectation of any credible compliance process, and refusal to cooperate creates concerns about university practices,” Dhillon said. “If Harvard has stopped discriminating, it should happily share the data necessary to prove it.”
The case traces back to April 2025, when the Justice Department initiated compliance reviews of Harvard’s undergraduate, law, and medical school admissions programs.
Federal officials said at the time they needed applicant-level data, such as grade point averages, test scores, and demographic information, to determine whether Harvard was unlawfully continuing to discriminate based on race.
The complaint argues that Harvard’s …
DOJ sues Harvard over access to race-based admissions documents
This looks less like justice and more like strategy.
The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit Friday against Harvard University, accusing the Ivy League school of unlawfully withholding documents about race-based admissions.
The DOJ said in a news release that the information is necessary to determine whether Harvard continues to discriminate based on race in its admissions process, even after the Supreme Court ruled in 2023 that the university did so.
“Under President [Donald] Trump’s leadership, this Department of Justice is demanding better from our nation’s educational institutions,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said. “Harvard has failed to disclose the data we need to ensure that its admissions are free of discrimination — we will continue fighting to put merit over DEI across America.”
The complaint, filed in federal court in Boston, alleges Harvard has failed for more than 10 months to provide individualized applicant data and other records requested by the DOJ as part of a compliance review under federal civil rights law.
The Justice Department said the documents are needed to assess whether Harvard’s admissions practices violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which bars discrimination by establishments that receive federal funding.
The lawsuit does not, in itself, allege that Harvard’s current admissions policies are discriminatory or seek monetary damages, according to the complaint.
Instead, it seeks a court order compelling the university to hand over documents the department has requested several times, including admissions policies and correspondence related to race, ethnicity, diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said in the release that Harvard’s noncompliance raises red flags over its practices.
“Providing requested data is a basic expectation of any credible compliance process, and refusal to cooperate creates concerns about university practices,” Dhillon said. “If Harvard has stopped discriminating, it should happily share the data necessary to prove it.”
The case traces back to April 2025, when the Justice Department initiated compliance reviews of Harvard’s undergraduate, law, and medical school admissions programs.
Federal officials said at the time they needed applicant-level data, such as grade point averages, test scores, and demographic information, to determine whether Harvard was unlawfully continuing to discriminate based on race.
The complaint argues that Harvard’s …
