BOSTON — A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Justice Department against Harvard University regarding its alleged non-compliance in providing admissions records related to the school’s use of affirmative action. The lawsuit sought to compel Harvard to disclose these records, asserting that the university was hindering the federal agency’s investigation into potential discrimination within its admissions processes.
U.S. District Judge Myong Joun ruled that the Justice Department did not follow the necessary procedural requirements prior to initiating the legal action. In his decision, Judge Joun noted that before an enforcement action can be taken under the statutory framework, the agency must notify the respondent of their non-compliance and determine that voluntary compliance cannot be reached. This ruling, however, does not resolve the overarching legal dispute regarding the data request.
The ongoing tension stems from a broader conflict between the Trump administration and Harvard University, particularly concerning issues surrounding race and admissions practices. Harvard officials have been vocal about what they describe as unconstitutional retaliation for their refusal to conform to the administration’s ideological stances.
In 2025, the Justice Department launched a compliance review of Harvard’s admissions practices, requesting a comprehensive dataset spanning five years. This data included not only demographics but also applicants’ grades, test scores, admission essays, extracurricular activities, and the outcomes of their applications. The Department claims this information is crucial for determining whether Harvard has continued to consider racial factors in its admissions decisions, despite a Supreme Court ruling in 2023 that prohibited the use of affirmative action in college admissions.
The administration’s scrutiny of Harvard is part of a larger initiative targeting several institutions accused of potentially discriminatory practices in admissions. Recently, the Justice Department found that the law program at the University of California, Los Angeles, had illegally considered race in its admissions process, following similar findings against other branches of the university system.
The implications of the ruling and the ongoing investigations into Harvard and other universities underscore the contentious national dialogue surrounding affirmative action and racial equity in higher education. Neither Harvard nor the Justice Department has publicly commented on this latest legal development. As the situation evolves, it remains a critical issue shaping the future of college admissions policies across the United States.