The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a federal lawsuit against Harvard University, accusing it of unlawfully withholding detailed admissions data needed for a compliance review. The action follows the Supreme Court's 2023 ruling that ended race-conscious admissions practices. The suit seeks to enforce transparency without alleging current discrimination.
The Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division initiated the lawsuit on Friday, marking an escalation in efforts to oversee university admissions after the 2023 Supreme Court decision in Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) v. Harvard. That ruling struck down race-based admissions, prompting federal reviews to ensure compliance.
The dispute began in April 2025, when the DOJ started compliance examinations of Harvard's undergraduate college, law school, and medical school. It requested five years of individualized applicant data, including SAT, ACT, MCAT, and LSAT scores; GPAs; extracurricular activities; and essays, broken down by race and ethnicity. Officials stated this information is essential to detect any use of "race-neutral" methods that might still achieve unconstitutional "racial balancing."
According to the complaint, Harvard delayed the process for over ten months, providing more than 2,000 pages of documents—mostly publicly available items like financial aid brochures and summary statistics. The university missed several extended deadlines, with the last significant submission in May 2025.
"Harvard has failed to disclose the data we need to ensure that its admissions are free of discrimination," Attorney General Pamela Bondi said. "We will continue fighting to put merit over DEI across America."
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon added, "If Harvard has stopped discriminating, it should happily share the data necessary to prove it."
Harvard, with a $56.9 billion endowment, receives substantial federal support, including $686 million in research grants in 2024 and over $2.6 billion in total assistance planned. This subjects it to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, requiring record access for anti-discrimination checks. The 2023 SFFA ruling highlighted how Harvard's prior system reduced Asian American admissions and relied on a "pernicious stereotype" in racial considerations.
The DOJ specifically wants "searchable electronic spreadsheets" to analyze qualifications of admitted and rejected applicants by racial groups. Harvard maintains its admissions are holistic and lawful, with acceptance rates of 4.2% for undergraduates and 3.2% for medical school.
The suit does not seek damages or fund cuts but asks the court to rule Harvard in violation of its obligations and order document release. Experts note it may influence future federal demands for university transparency post-affirmative action.
