Judge Blocks Trump Order for Colleges to Disclose Race Data

Ruling halts administration's demand for universities to prove they don't consider race in admissions.

Mar. 13, 2026 at 9:22pm

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A federal judge in Boston has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from requiring universities to collect and turn over data by next week to prove they are no longer considering race as a factor in admissions. The ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed by 17 Democratic state attorneys general.

Why it matters

The Trump administration's push for colleges to disclose data on race in admissions has been seen as part of a broader effort to limit the use of affirmative action policies. The judge's temporary restraining order represents a setback for those efforts and preserves the status quo while the legal challenge proceeds.

The details

U.S. District Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV issued the temporary restraining order, siding with the 17 Democratic state attorneys general who sued over a newly-added component of mandatory, annual surveys administered by the U.S. Department of Education. The surveys are used to gather information from universities, and the Trump administration had sought to require schools to prove they are no longer considering race as an admissions factor.

  • The ruling was issued on Friday, March 13, 2026.

The players

F. Dennis Saylor IV

A U.S. District Judge in Boston who issued the temporary restraining order blocking the Trump administration's order.

Donald Trump

The former U.S. President whose administration sought to require universities to disclose data on race in admissions.

17 Democratic state attorneys general

A group of state attorneys general who filed the lawsuit that led to the judge's temporary restraining order.

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What’s next

The judge's temporary restraining order will remain in place while the legal challenge proceeds.

The takeaway

This ruling represents a setback for the Trump administration's efforts to restrict the consideration of race in college admissions, preserving the status quo for now as the courts weigh the legality of the administration's demands.