The U.S. Department of Justice has begun inquiries into four Californian universities regarding allegations of race-based admissions practices, potentially contravening the Supreme Court's recent ruling against affirmative action.
DOJ Investigates California Universities Over Race-Based Admissions Practices
DOJ Investigates California Universities Over Race-Based Admissions Practices
Investigations target Stanford, UC Berkeley, UCLA, and UCI for allegedly defying Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action in admissions.
In a significant move, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has initiated investigations into four leading universities in California—Stanford University, the University of California at Berkeley, UCLA, and UC Irvine. The inquiry follows growing concerns that these institutions may be using race as a factor in their admissions processes, seemingly ignoring the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision that outlawed affirmative action in higher education contexts.
Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a firm statement reaffirming the Trump administration's pledge to transition back to merit-based admissions across the nation. “President Trump and I are devoted to emphatically ending illegal discrimination and championing opportunities grounded in merit,” Bondi declared. She insisted that all students in the United States should be evaluated strictly on their dedication, intelligence, and character, rather than their racial backgrounds.
The landmark Supreme Court ruling in the case of Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard clearly invalidated the practice of considering race in college admissions, prompting the DOJ to demand adherence to this ruling. Acting Associate Attorney General Chad Mizelle emphasized, “Every college and university must realize that any illegal discrimination in admissions is subject to scrutiny and will be addressed.”
Greg Burt, vice president of the California Family Council, commended the federal investigations, alleging that universities have established a form of “reverse discrimination.” Burt expressed concern that some institutions might have devised methods to sidestep legal restrictions, asserting that these actions could restore a fair and meritocratic culture.
“Rather than promoting true equality,” he remarked, “DEI policies often create divisions among students by race and breed discord instead of cohesiveness.” As the Trump administration intensifies its crackdown on race-related admission practices, these ongoing investigations mark a considerable shift towards merit-based admissions, sending a clear message to any university aiming to bypass legal obligations.
Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a firm statement reaffirming the Trump administration's pledge to transition back to merit-based admissions across the nation. “President Trump and I are devoted to emphatically ending illegal discrimination and championing opportunities grounded in merit,” Bondi declared. She insisted that all students in the United States should be evaluated strictly on their dedication, intelligence, and character, rather than their racial backgrounds.
The landmark Supreme Court ruling in the case of Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard clearly invalidated the practice of considering race in college admissions, prompting the DOJ to demand adherence to this ruling. Acting Associate Attorney General Chad Mizelle emphasized, “Every college and university must realize that any illegal discrimination in admissions is subject to scrutiny and will be addressed.”
Greg Burt, vice president of the California Family Council, commended the federal investigations, alleging that universities have established a form of “reverse discrimination.” Burt expressed concern that some institutions might have devised methods to sidestep legal restrictions, asserting that these actions could restore a fair and meritocratic culture.
“Rather than promoting true equality,” he remarked, “DEI policies often create divisions among students by race and breed discord instead of cohesiveness.” As the Trump administration intensifies its crackdown on race-related admission practices, these ongoing investigations mark a considerable shift towards merit-based admissions, sending a clear message to any university aiming to bypass legal obligations.
