Trump administration probes race in admissions at 3 medical schools

Key Points:

• The Trump administration has launched investigations into how race is factored into admissions at the medical schools of Stanford University, Ohio State University, and the University of California, San Diego, as part of its broader campaign against affirmative action in higher education.
• The Justice Department, led by Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, is requesting detailed admissions data, including applicant race and ethnicity information, test scores, and admissions decisions dating back to 2019.
• The investigations follow a 2023 Supreme Court ruling that banned affirmative action in college admissions but allowed consideration of race-related experiences if voluntarily shared by applicants.
• The targeted universities have stated they are reviewing the Justice Department's inquiries and affirm their commitment to non-discriminatory admissions practices consistent with federal and state laws.
• The investigations come amid ongoing legal challenges, including a lawsuit by 17 Democratic state attorneys general opposing the Trump administration’s data collection policy aimed at ensuring race is not considered in admissions.