A federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction, temporarily halting a Trump administration directive that required public universities in 17 Democratic-led states to submit extensive data on admissions practices related to race. The ruling by U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV in Boston came in response to a lawsuit filed by a coalition of state attorneys general.
Separately, the Justice Department has initiated investigations into the medical schools of Stanford University, Ohio State, and the University of California, San Diego, regarding their consideration of race in admissions.
Injunction on Data Collection
On Friday, U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV issued a preliminary injunction, temporarily blocking the Trump administration's policy requiring higher education institutions to submit comprehensive admissions data. The injunction specifically applies to public colleges and universities within the 17 plaintiff states that filed the lawsuit.
Judge Saylor stated that while the federal government likely possesses the authority to collect such data, the demand was presented to universities in a "rushed and chaotic" manner.
"A 120-day deadline set by the President prevented the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) from adequately engaging with institutions to address issues with the new requirements during the notice-and-comment period."
Background of the Data Request
The Trump administration initiated the data collection policy in August, expressing concerns that colleges were using personal statements and other indirect methods to consider race in admissions, which it viewed as illegal discrimination. This directive followed a 2023 Supreme Court decision that prohibited affirmative action in college admissions but allowed colleges to consider how race has shaped students' lives if applicants include such information in personal essays.
The U.S. Department of Education's policy significantly expanded previous federal data collection requirements. Universities were mandated to submit seven years of retroactive data, including grade-point averages, standardized test scores, race, sex, grant aid amounts, and family income for applicants, admitted students, and enrolled students, disaggregated by race and sex. The original deadline for submission was March 18, a deadline that Judge Saylor had previously extended twice.
The administration stated its intention was to ensure that institutions complied with laws against considering race in admissions. Government lawyers argued that delaying data collection would delay the public release of admissions statistics, thereby denying applicants information about their admission chances based on various characteristics. They reported that approximately 1,700 colleges had either completed submissions or qualified for extensions by March 23.
Colleges that fail to submit timely, complete, and accurate data could face actions under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, which governs federal financial aid for students.
Arguments from Plaintiff States
The coalition of 17 Democratic state attorneys general, including California's Attorney General Rob Bonta, filed the lawsuit challenging the data collection. The plaintiff states argued that the data request was burdensome, rushed, posed risks to student privacy, and required significant administrative effort to compile information that was not consistently logged across campuses.
They contended that the data collection could lead to unsubstantiated investigations of colleges and that the government was converting the nonpartisan NCES into a "mechanism for law enforcement and the furthering of partisan policy aims." Attorney General Bonta characterized the request as a "fishing expedition."
In California, public colleges have been banned from considering race in admissions since 1997 by Proposition 209.
Justice Department Investigations into Medical Schools
Separately, the Justice Department has initiated investigations into three medical schools regarding their consideration of race in admissions. On Wednesday, the Justice Department launched inquiries into the medical schools of Stanford University, Ohio State, and the University of California, San Diego. Harmeet Dhillon, the Justice Department's assistant attorney general for civil rights, announced these investigations.
In a letter to Ohio State, the Justice Department requested documents related to "the use or lack of use of race" in evaluating applicants, applicant-level admissions data, and reviews of admissions trends by race. This data sought spans back to the incoming class of 2019 and includes standardized test scores and information on race and ethnicity.
- Ohio State: Spokesperson Benjamin Johnson stated the school complies with regulations and would respond appropriately.
- UC San Diego: The university is reviewing the notice and affirmed its commitment to fair processes consistent with anti-discrimination laws.
- Stanford School of Medicine: Spokesperson Cecilia Arradaza confirmed receipt of the letter and reiterated that the school prohibits unlawful discrimination based on race or other protected characteristics.
It was not immediately clear why these specific medical schools were targeted.
Related Legal Actions and University Compliance
The Trump administration has pursued other actions related to college admissions.
- Harvard University: The administration has pursued Harvard University over alleged refusal to provide admissions records requested by the Justice Department to ensure compliance with affirmative action rulings. Harvard has stated it has responded to government requests and adheres to the Supreme Court's decision. The Education Department's Office for Civil Rights recently instructed Harvard to comply with data requests within 20 days or face referral to the Justice Department.
- UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine: The government joined a lawsuit alleging affirmative action practices.
- Brown and Columbia Universities: The data collection policy mirrors earlier settlement agreements with Brown University and Columbia University, which restored their federal research funding in exchange for data on race, GPA, and standardized test scores of applicants.
Judge Saylor also granted an extension until April 14 for members of the Association of American Universities (including Stanford and USC) to submit similar data while the association seeks a further block on the order.