Eight Connecticut Democratic lawmakers have issued a stark warning to Yale University: any deal with the Department of Justice to resolve allegations of race-based discrimination in medical school admissions could put the Ivy League school's tax-exempt status in jeopardy.
The lawmakers, led by state Rep. Matt Blumenthal, sent a letter to Yale President Maurie McInnis on Thursday urging her to reject any settlement with the DOJ. The letter, obtained by The Hill, argues that capitulating would betray Yale's values and risk the state-granted privileges the university has long enjoyed.
“We understand that you are in a difficult position and empathize with your desire to quickly end this shakedown,” the letter reads. “But capitulating now would constitute a serious abandonment of Yale’s values, be a severe strategic miscalculation, and could jeopardize Yale’s relationship with the State of Connecticut – including state-granted privileges the University has long taken for granted.”
The DOJ investigation, launched under the Trump administration, accuses the Yale School of Medicine of using race-based admissions to favor Black and Hispanic applicants over white and Asian applicants with comparable test scores. Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon said in a letter that Yale employed “holistic metrics” that allowed admissions committees to consider race and national origin, despite the Supreme Court’s 2023 ban on race-conscious admissions.
McInnis acknowledged last week that the university is in talks with the DOJ, but the lawmakers are pressing her to fight the allegations instead. “If you stand up for yourself, we will stand with you and support you in every way we can,” the letter continues. “Yale has the resources and legal position to fight and win.”
The letter was signed by Blumenthal, state Reps. Steve Winter, Roland Lemar, Patricia Dillon, John Michael Parker, Jonathan Steinberg, and state Sens. Saud Anwar and Herron Gaston. The Hill has reached out to Yale for comment.
The Trump administration has intensified scrutiny of elite universities, following massive campus protests over the war in Gaza and a broader push to reshape higher education. On Monday, the DOJ announced a separate investigation into Harvard University for allegedly excluding U.S. citizens from financial aid. Harvard spokesperson Jason Newton denied the claim, stating the school “follows the law for required reporting of donations and, consistent with our legal obligations under Title VI, does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, or national origin in allocating financial aid.”
Yale’s decision could have broader implications for how universities navigate federal pressure. The Connecticut Democrats’ warning echoes a growing sentiment among some lawmakers that institutions should resist DOJ demands, even as the administration cracks down on alleged discrimination. The threat to Yale’s tax-exempt status, a powerful financial lever, underscores the high stakes in this confrontation.
