The Trump administration has taken a bold step by filing a lawsuit against Harvard University, alleging that the institution has not complied with requests for admissions records. This action is part of a broader initiative by the Justice Department to ensure that Harvard ceases any practices related to affirmative action that may lead to discrimination in admissions. The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Massachusetts, where officials claim Harvard has obstructed the government’s investigation by not providing necessary data.
Harmeet Dhillon, head of the department’s Civil Rights Division, raised concerns about Harvard’s refusal to share its admissions data, stating, “If Harvard has stopped discriminating, it should happily share the data necessary to prove it.” As of now, Harvard officials have not issued a public response regarding the lawsuit.
This legal pursuit comes amid ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and Harvard, especially after the school faced severe sanctions, including potential funding cuts, for not adhering to the administration’s demands laid out last year. Trump officials have accused Harvard of harboring anti-Jewish biases on campus. Conversely, Harvard has insisted that the actions taken against it are unconstitutional retaliation for its refusal to adopt the administration's ideological positions.
The Justice Department’s investigation commenced last April, coinciding with significant directives from the White House that echo the Trump administration’s priorities on admissions practices. The department seeks access to five years’ worth of admissions data that includes comprehensive details about applicants’ grades, test scores, essays, extracurricular activities, outcomes, and demographic information.
This requirement is particularly crucial following a Supreme Court ruling in 2023 that prohibited affirmative action in admissions decisions. Trump’s administration has voiced suspicion that many universities continue to use race as a factor in their admissions processes, viewing it as discriminatory against white and Asian American students.
While this feud seemingly cooled last summer with discussions of restoring Harvard's federal funding, those negotiations have flared up. The president has now demanded that Harvard pay $1 billion to reach an agreement, a figure twice what he previously suggested.
This lawsuit is part of a broader strategy by the administration to change admissions practices across higher education institutions to align with their vision of equality in educational opportunities.
Harmeet Dhillon, head of the department’s Civil Rights Division, raised concerns about Harvard’s refusal to share its admissions data, stating, “If Harvard has stopped discriminating, it should happily share the data necessary to prove it.” As of now, Harvard officials have not issued a public response regarding the lawsuit.
This legal pursuit comes amid ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and Harvard, especially after the school faced severe sanctions, including potential funding cuts, for not adhering to the administration’s demands laid out last year. Trump officials have accused Harvard of harboring anti-Jewish biases on campus. Conversely, Harvard has insisted that the actions taken against it are unconstitutional retaliation for its refusal to adopt the administration's ideological positions.
The Justice Department’s investigation commenced last April, coinciding with significant directives from the White House that echo the Trump administration’s priorities on admissions practices. The department seeks access to five years’ worth of admissions data that includes comprehensive details about applicants’ grades, test scores, essays, extracurricular activities, outcomes, and demographic information.
This requirement is particularly crucial following a Supreme Court ruling in 2023 that prohibited affirmative action in admissions decisions. Trump’s administration has voiced suspicion that many universities continue to use race as a factor in their admissions processes, viewing it as discriminatory against white and Asian American students.
While this feud seemingly cooled last summer with discussions of restoring Harvard's federal funding, those negotiations have flared up. The president has now demanded that Harvard pay $1 billion to reach an agreement, a figure twice what he previously suggested.
This lawsuit is part of a broader strategy by the administration to change admissions practices across higher education institutions to align with their vision of equality in educational opportunities.
