The Department of Justice has formally accused the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law of running an admissions system that disadvantages white and Asian applicants, marking the latest escalation in the Trump administration's campaign against race-conscious admissions practices.
In a statement released Thursday, the DOJ's Civil Rights Division alleged that UCLA Law maintained a "two-tiered admissions system" in which the academic threshold for admission varied based on an applicant's race or ethnicity. The accusation echoes similar findings the administration has made against UCLA's medical school and the law schools at Duke University and UC Berkeley.
Harmeet K. Dhillon, the assistant attorney general for civil rights, asserted that the practice is unlawful. "The use of race as a thumb on the scale that helps or disadvantages any student is illegal," she said. "The Department will continue to enforce equal treatment under the law everywhere — including in our nation's law schools."
According to the DOJ's analysis, for the entering classes of 2023, 2024, and 2025, UCLA Law admitted Black and Hispanic applicants with LSAT scores that were lower than those of white and Asian applicants who were rejected. The department argues this pattern demonstrates that race was a decisive factor in admissions decisions, a practice that the Supreme Court struck down in its 2023 affirmative action ruling.
The university pushed back against the accusation. In a statement, UCLA School of Law said it is "committed to making admissions decisions in compliance with all applicable laws." The school defended its process as "a comprehensive, merit-based review that considers each applicant's achievements and experiences," and expressed confidence in its legality.
This is not an isolated case. The Trump administration has cited the Supreme Court's decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard as it ramps up investigations and lawsuits against universities suspected of discriminatory practices. Earlier this year, the DOJ accused UCSF Medical School of similar bias, and the administration has also targeted other institutions, including private schools that may be using race-conscious policies.
Legal experts note that the DOJ's latest action could signal a broader federal push to enforce the Supreme Court's ruling beyond the context of undergraduate admissions, extending to graduate and professional programs. The administration has also been active in other areas, such as the IRS rule that would strip tax exemptions from schools with race-conscious policies.
The DOJ's complaint against UCLA Law is likely to be challenged in court, with the university arguing that its admissions process is holistic and compliant with federal law. The outcome could have significant implications for how law schools across the country approach diversity in their admissions.
This development comes amid a broader conservative legal movement that has successfully chipped away at affirmative action. In April, a federal judge dismissed the DOJ's separate lawsuit against Harvard University over antisemitism, but the administration's focus on race-conscious admissions remains undiminished.
As the legal battle unfolds, the case will be closely watched by higher education institutions, civil rights groups, and students who may be affected by any changes in admissions policies.
