Justice Department Sues Harvard for Admissions Data

The Trump administration claims Harvard has refused to provide records on how race factors into admissions.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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The Trump administration is suing Harvard University, alleging the Ivy League school has refused to provide admissions records that the Justice Department demanded to ensure Harvard stopped using affirmative action in admissions. The Justice Department accused Harvard of 'thwarting' efforts to investigate potential discrimination and asked a judge to order the university to turn over the records.

Why it matters

This lawsuit is the latest salvo in the Trump administration's standoff with Harvard, which has faced funding cuts and other sanctions after rejecting the administration's demands last year. The administration claims colleges are continuing to factor race into admissions decisions despite the Supreme Court's 2023 ruling barring affirmative action.

The details

The Justice Department said it needs five years of admissions data, including applicants' grades, test scores, essays, extracurricular activities, and admissions outcomes, along with their race and ethnicity. The agency said it wants to determine if Harvard has continued considering applicants' race in admissions decisions. Harvard said it is in compliance with the Supreme Court decision and accused the administration of 'unconstitutional retaliation' for refusing to adopt its ideological views.

  • The Justice Department opened a compliance review into Harvard's admissions practices in April 2025.
  • The Justice Department demanded Harvard provide the requested data by April 25, 2025.

The players

Justice Department

The U.S. Department of Justice, which is suing Harvard University over its admissions practices.

Harvard University

The Ivy League university that the Justice Department is suing, claiming it has refused to provide admissions records.

Harmeet Dhillon

The head of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, who said Harvard's refusal to provide data is a 'red flag.'

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What’s next

The judge in the case will decide whether to order Harvard to turn over the requested admissions data to the Justice Department.

The takeaway

This lawsuit is the latest clash between the Trump administration and Harvard over the use of affirmative action in college admissions, which the Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional in 2023. The outcome could have significant implications for how universities consider race in their admissions processes going forward.