The US Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against Harvard University, alleging that the institution unlawfully withheld admissions data sought as part of a federal civil rights compliance review, the Office of Public Affairs of the U.S. Department of Justice said in a statement on Friday.
The complaint, filed by the DOJ's Civil Rights Division, centres on whether Harvard is complying with the Supreme Court of the United States 2023 ruling in Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, which struck down race-conscious admissions policies.
According to the DOJ, Harvard failed to provide “individualized applicant admissions data, admissions policies, and correspondence related to race; ethnicity; diversity, equity, and inclusion; and Students for Fair Admissions,” despite repeated requests.
In a statement Attorney General Pamela Bondi said that under President Trump's leadership, this Department of Justice is demanding better from our nation's educational institutions.
“Harvard has failed to disclose the data we need to ensure that its admissions are free of discrimination — we will continue fighting to put merit over DEI across America,” Pamela further stated.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon, who heads the Civil Rights Division, said the department would not allow universities to “flout our nation's federal civil rights laws by refusing to provide the information required for our review.”
“Providing requested data is a basic expectation of any credible compliance process, and refusal to cooperate creates concerns about university practices. If Harvard has stopped discriminating, it should happily share the data necessary to prove it,” Dhillon added.
The lawsuit alleges Harvard “slow-walked” document production and breached conditions tied to federal financial assistance by failing to provide timely and complete records. The DOJ claims this violates Title VI obligations applicable to recipients of federal funding.
The statment further stated that the suit does not accuse Harvard of racial discrimination. Instead, it seeks a court order compelling the university to produce documents related to any consideration of race in admissions.
Harvard has not publicly responded to the lawsuit at the time of publication.
ALSO READ: 'With Great Sadness...': Trump's Justice Department Antitrust Head Gail Slater Steps Down
Essential Business Intelligence, Continuous LIVE TV, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.