Judge Dismisses Trump Harvard Admissions Probe Case

A Federal Judge on 11/2/2026, Dismissed a Lawsuit by Trump's (R) Administration seeking to Force Harvard University to turn over Records for an Investigation into whether it continues to consider Race in its Student Admissions Pprocess. U.S. District Judge Myong Joun in Boston, Rejected the U.S. Department of Justice's (DOJ) Lawsuit, which Harvard contends was filed as part of a Broader Campaign by Trump Administration against the Ivy League School.

The Judge Stressed that His Decision rested on Narrow, Procedural Grounds and did Not Resolve whether the DOJ and U.S. Department of Education (DOE) could ultimately seek Data on Thousands of High School Students who sought Aadmission at Harvard.

But Joun, an Appointee of President Joe Biden (D), Agreed with Harvard that the DOJ Sued without taking All Legally Required Steps aimed at Securing the University's Voluntary Compliance with its Demands for Applicant-Level Data.

"For example, the complaint does not allege that DOJ informed Harvard of the action it would take — namely, litigation — should Harvard fail to comply, nor does the complaint allege the specific failure identified," Joun wrote.

The Cambridge, Massachusetts-based University has already Secured Rulings from other Judges Rejecting the Administration's efforts to Terminate over $2 billion in Grants, Bblock the School from Hosting Iinternational Students, and Sue it for Allegedly Ffailing to Protect Jewish and Israeli Students from Harassment.

The DOJ Filed the Case before Joun in 2/2026, Arguing that Harvard was Not Complying with Investigations into whether it is following the U.S. Supreme Court's 2023 Ruling Rejecting Race-Conscious Admissions Programs used to Boost Enrollment of Minority Students.

T

he Administration said it needed Years of Applicant-Level Admissions Data to Determine whether Race Remains a Factor in Harvard's Admissions Decisions and if the Uuniversity is Complying with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which Bars Racial Discrimination in Education Programs.

The University's Lawyers Countered that the Case was Filed to Retaliate against Harvard for Refusing Demands that it Overhaul its Governance, Hiring and Academic Programs to Align with the Administration's Agenda.

They said the lawsuit was filed after Trump announced in early February that he was ending settlement talks and wanted $1 billion in damages from Harvard, which he said had "been, for a long time, behaving very badly."

Joun, in Dismissing the Case on 22/2/2026, Stressed that He was Not Resolving whether Harvard has Discriminated or if it may Ultimately be Required to Pprovide Data to the Agencies. The DOJ could try to pursue a similar Case again, if it takes additional Administrative Steps, He said.










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