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47th President’s Administration Opens Investigations Into Race In Admissions At 3 Medical Schools

April 7, 2026

The Trump administration's Justice Department has launched investigations into the medical schools at Stanford University, Ohio State University, and UC San Diego to examine whether race is being illegally considered in their admissions processes. These investigations, announced on March 25 by Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, are part of a broader campaign by the Trump administration to pressure universities it views as having excessive liberal influence. The government is demanding extensive documentation including applicant data, test scores, and racial information dating back to 2019 to verify compliance with a 2023 Supreme Court ruling that prohibited affirmative action in college admissions.

Who is affected

  • The medical schools at Stanford University, Ohio State University, and the University of California San Diego
  • Applicants to these medical schools (current and dating back to 2019)
  • President Donald Trump and his administration
  • Harmeet Dhillon, the Justice Department's assistant attorney general for civil rights
  • A coalition of 17 Democratic state attorneys general who have filed a lawsuit
  • Colleges and universities more broadly facing scrutiny over admissions practices

What action is being taken

  • The Justice Department is conducting investigations into the three medical schools (opened March 25)
  • The Justice Department is seeking documents and data related to race in admissions evaluations
  • The three universities are reviewing the Justice Department's letters and preparing responses
  • A federal judge in Massachusetts is weighing a request to block data collection demands
  • The Trump administration is ramping up scrutiny of universities through investigations and executive actions

Why it matters

  • This represents a significant escalation in federal enforcement following the 2023 Supreme Court decision banning affirmative action in college admissions. The investigations signal the administration's intent to actively police how universities conduct admissions and whether they are using any methods—including personal essays or other proxies—to consider race. This pressure campaign could fundamentally reshape how medical schools and other higher education institutions approach diversity in admissions and could have far-reaching implications for student body composition and educational equity across American universities.

What's next

  • No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint