States Sue to Block Trump Order on College Admissions Data

Attorneys general from 17 states file lawsuit challenging federal mandate to collect extensive student data

Mar. 11, 2026 at 5:50pm

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New York Attorney General Letitia James and 16 other state attorneys general have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, seeking to block a federal mandate requiring colleges to collect and report detailed student admissions data for seven years. The attorneys general argue that the mandate is an unlawful burden on institutions, particularly smaller academic programs, and could potentially reveal sensitive student information.

Why it matters

The lawsuit highlights growing tensions between the Trump administration and states over federal efforts to collect more data on college admissions, which the White House says is necessary to monitor potential discrimination, but which the states argue is an overreach that could harm students and institutions.

The details

The lawsuit alleges that the U.S. Department of Education's new data collection mandate, which requires colleges to report extensive details on applicants' race, sex, test scores, grades, financial aid and other personal information, violates the Administrative Procedure Act and Paperwork Reduction Act. The attorneys general argue the rushed timeline and overly broad data requests pose an undue burden, especially for smaller schools, and could lead to the accidental release of sensitive student data.

  • In January 2025, President Donald Trump signed executive orders banning diversity, equity, and inclusion programs across the federal government.
  • In August 2025, Trump issued another directive accusing colleges of hiding illegal admissions policies behind diversity statements.
  • In December, the federal government updated its Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System with a new survey to collect the detailed student data.
  • The Department of Education has ordered colleges to submit seven years of this data by March 18, 2026.

The players

Letitia James

The New York Attorney General leading the coalition of 17 states in the lawsuit against the Trump administration's college data collection mandate.

Linda McMahon

The U.S. Secretary of Education who ordered the Department of Education to collect the detailed student data from colleges.

Donald Trump

The former President who issued executive orders and directives that led to the new college data collection requirements.

Students for Fair Admissions

The group that won a Supreme Court case in 2023 against Harvard University's consideration of race in admissions, which the Trump administration says justifies the new data collection.

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What they’re saying

“Colleges and universities should not be forced to turn over massive amounts of sensitive student data to satisfy another witch hunt.”

— Letitia James, New York Attorney General

“We will not allow institutions to blight the dreams of students by presuming that their skin color matters more than their hard work and accomplishments.”

— Linda McMahon, U.S. Secretary of Education

What’s next

The federal court will decide whether to grant the states' request to block the Department of Education's college data collection mandate before the March 18 deadline for schools to submit the information.

The takeaway

This lawsuit highlights the ongoing battle between the Trump administration and states over the role of race and diversity in college admissions, with the federal government seeking more data it says is needed to monitor discrimination, while states argue the mandate is an unlawful overreach that could harm students and institutions.