Trump Administration Sues Harvard Over Admissions Records Amid Affirmative Action Dispute

Thu Mar 12 2026 12:13:05 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against Harvard University, alleging noncompliance in releasing admissions data required to investigate potential racial discrimination practices.

The Trump administration has escalated its conflict with Harvard University by filing a lawsuit demanding the release of admissions records. This legal action is intended to investigate potential discrimination in Harvard's admissions practices, particularly regarding their adherence to recent Supreme Court rulings against affirmative action in college admissions. Harvard has been accused of obstructing compliance with federal requests, raising questions about transparency and the ongoing debate over racial considerations in admissions decisions.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has initiated a lawsuit against Harvard University, claiming that it has failed to provide necessary admissions records. This action comes as part of an effort by the Justice Department to ensure the Ivy League institution ceases its use of affirmative action policies in its admissions process.

The legal complaint, lodged Friday in a federal court in Massachusetts, accuses Harvard of hindering the Justice Department’s investigation into possible discriminatory practices. The department is requesting a court order to compel the university to release the required documents.

Harmeet Dhillon, leading the Civil Rights Division of the department, indicated that Harvard's resistance is concerning. She stated, “If Harvard has stopped discriminating, it should happily share the data necessary to prove it.” Harvard representatives did not respond immediately to this development.

This lawsuit marks a significant development in President Donald Trump’s ongoing standoff with Harvard, which has faced potential funding cuts and other sanctions following similar disputes last year.

Trump officials have cited allegations of anti-Jewish bias at Harvard as justification for their actions. Meanwhile, Harvard has claimed that these moves reflect unconstitutional retaliation for its refusal to comply with the administration's ideological demands. The administration is currently appealing earlier judicial decisions that were favorable to Harvard in related cases.

The Justice Department’s review of Harvard's admissions procedures commenced in April, coinciding with the White House’s issuing of a series of broad demands aimed at aligning with Trump's educational priorities. The agency seeks five years of comprehensive admissions data from Harvard, including grades, test scores, essays, extracurriculars, and demographic information of selected applicants.

Following a recent Supreme Court ruling that invalidated affirmative action policies in college admissions—stemming from challenges at Harvard and the University of North Carolina—the Justice Department is keen to evaluate if Harvard is still considering race in its admissions decisions. The ruling has spurred further scrutiny of college admissions practices across the United States.

Previously, President Trump had indicated that a resolution with Harvard was nearing, with promises to restore its federal funding, but conflicting demands, including a new assertion that Harvard owes $1 billion, have complicated negotiations between the institution and the administration.