Trump administration files lawsuit seeking Harvard admissions documents

The US Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against Harvard University, seeking records related to its admissions practices as part of a federal investigation into whether race was improperly considered in student selection.

The complaint, lodged in federal court in Boston on Feb 13, asks the court to compel Harvard to provide documents the government says are necessary to determine compliance with a 2023 US Supreme Court ruling that declared race-conscious college admissions programs unconstitutional.

In a press release, the Justice Department said Harvard had “repeatedly slow-walked the pace of production and refused to produce pertinent data and documents,” including materials tied to admissions policies and correspondence involving diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

The department stated that the lawsuit was filed “solely to compel Harvard to produce documents relating to any consideration of race in admission” and “does not accuse Harvard of any discriminatory conduct, nor does it seek monetary damages or the revocation of federal funding.”

The legal action comes amid broader tensions between the Trump administration and several universities.

Earlier this month, President Donald Trump said his administration was seeking $1 billion from Harvard to resolve separate investigations into institutional policies.

His administration has also threatened to withhold federal funding over issues including campus protests related to the Gaza conflict, diversity initiatives, and transgender policies.

A Harvard spokesperson said the university has been cooperating with federal authorities. “The university will continue to defend itself against these retaliatory actions which have been initiated simply because Harvard refused to surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights in response to unlawful government overreach,” the spokesperson said.

Last year, the administration moved to cancel hundreds of federal research grants awarded to Harvard, citing concerns about the university’s handling of alleged harassment of Jewish students. Harvard challenged that action in court.

Efforts to reach a broader resolution between the administration and the university have so far been unsuccessful.