Justice Department Sues Harvard Over Admissions Data

Feds demand records to investigate potential racial discrimination in Ivy League school's enrollment practices.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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The Trump administration has filed a lawsuit against Harvard University, alleging the Ivy League school has refused to provide admissions records that the Justice Department requested to ensure Harvard has stopped using affirmative action in its enrollment decisions. The DOJ claims Harvard has "thwarted" its efforts to investigate potential discrimination.

Why it matters

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

The details

The Justice Department has demanded five years of admissions data from Harvard, including applicants' grades, test scores, essays, extracurricular activities, and admissions outcomes, along with their race and ethnicity. The DOJ says it needs this data to determine if Harvard has continued considering applicants' race in its decisions. Harvard has not provided the requested information, prompting the lawsuit.

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

The players

Justice Department

The U.S. Department of Justice, led by the Trump administration, is suing Harvard University over its alleged refusal to provide admissions records.

Harvard University

The Ivy League institution that the Justice Department is accusing of refusing to comply with a federal investigation into its use of affirmative action in admissions.

Harmeet Dhillon

The head of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, who said Harvard's refusal to provide the requested data is a "red flag" if the university has stopped discriminating.

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What they’re saying

“If Harvard has stopped discriminating, it should happily share the data necessary to prove it.”

— Harmeet Dhillon, Head of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division

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 development in the Trump administration's ongoing battle with Harvard over allegations of racial discrimination in the university's admissions practices. The outcome could have significant implications for affirmative action policies at colleges and universities across the country.