The U.S. Department of Justice filed a new lawsuit against Harvard University on Friday (February 13th), accusing the school of refusing to provide admission data to comply with a federal government compliance investigation. Since the Supreme Court of the United States ruled to ban affirmative action in university admissions in 2023, the Trump administration is investigating whether the university continues to implement discriminatory admission policies in the admissions process.
The lawsuit was filed in a federal court in Boston, Massachusetts, accusing Harvard University of consistently evading providing documents related to admissions and delaying for over 10 months.
The Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice wrote in the lawsuit, “At every turn, Harvard University has obstructed the Department of Justice’s investigation into potential discriminatory behavior.”
The 14-page complaint pointed out that Harvard University established new documents regarding admissions in May 2025 but repeatedly delayed submitting them for federal government review.
In a ruling made in 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court banned Harvard University and the University of North Carolina from using affirmative action policies in admissions, ruling that considering racial factors violated federal civil rights laws.
In April 2025, the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice initiated an investigation against Harvard University to determine if its admissions process complies with the Supreme Court ruling and the provisions of Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
President Trump, the Department of Justice, and the Department of Education have all urged this Ivy League school to combat anti-Semitism on campus and to eliminate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in its programs, recruitment, and admissions.
In the lawsuit filed on Friday, prosecutors did not directly accuse Harvard University of discriminatory practices in admissions nor seek compensation or demand withdrawal of federal funding for the school.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement on Friday, “Under President Trump’s leadership, the Department of Justice is demanding better from educational institutions nationwide. Harvard has consistently failed to disclose the data we need to ensure its admissions are free from discrimination—we will continue to fight to prioritize merit-based admissions over DEI nationwide.”
In response to the lawsuit, Harvard University stated on Friday that it is committed to compliance with the law, and it “has always responded in good faith to government inquiries and will continue to engage with the government in accordance with the legal procedures.”
However, the university added that it will continue to defend itself and categorize the government’s lawsuit as a “retaliatory action,” claiming it was sparked only because Harvard refused to compromise on a series of issues with the government.