US judge rejects DOJ lawsuit over Harvard admissions records

A federal judge in Boston rejected a Department of Justice lawsuit that sought to force Harvard University to hand over years of applicant-level records for an ongoing admissions investigation, according to Reuters reporting. The dismissed complaint targeted the university over whether it continues to consider race in student admissions following the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling.

Procedural Grounds for Dismissal in Boston

U.S. District Judge Myong Joun, an appointee of Democratic President Joe Biden, ruled that the federal government failed to take all legally required steps before launching its legal action. Joun emphasized that the decision rested strictly on procedural grounds and did not resolve whether Harvard discriminated or whether federal agencies can ultimately compel the release of applicant data for thousands of high school students.

The Justice Department filed the case in February, arguing that Harvard was not complying with federal oversight following the Supreme Court’s ban on race-conscious admissions programs. Government attorneys asserted they needed detailed records to determine compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bars racial discrimination in education programs.

Joun agreed with Harvard’s defense that federal prosecutors initiated the lawsuit without properly seeking voluntary compliance. “For example, the complaint does not allege that DOJ informed Harvard of the action it would take — namely, litigation — should Harvard fail to comply, nor does the complaint allege the specific failure identified,” Joun wrote in his ruling.

Harvard Claims Lawsuit Retaliates Against University Governance

Harvard attorneys countered the government’s push by arguing the lawsuit was filed to retaliate against the institution for refusing demands to overhaul its governance, hiring practices, and academic programs. According to court filings, the federal action came after President Donald Trump announced in early February that he was ending settlement talks and demanding $1 billion in damages from the university.

The university contends the lawsuit is part of a campaign by the Republican administration to use federal funding and government authority against the Ivy League school, which Trump has criticized. Data released by Harvard showed that Black undergraduate enrollment fell to 9.3% in the class of 2030, down from 11.5% in the class of 2029, marking a third straight year of decline since the Supreme Court barred race-conscious admissions.

Despite the administration’s pressure, the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based institution has successfully fought off several other federal actions. Other federal judges have previously rejected administration efforts to terminate over $2 billion in grants, block the school from hosting international students, and sue the university over alleged failures to protect Jewish and Israeli students from harassment.

Justice Department May Pursue Future Enforcement Action

Neither the Justice Department nor Harvard immediately responded to requests for comment following the decision. Joun noted in his ruling that the Justice Department retains the option to pursue a similar enforcement action against Harvard in the future if federal agencies properly execute the required administrative steps to seek voluntary compliance first.