Attorney General Pamela Bondi has announced that the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice will conduct compliance review investigations into the admissions policies of Stanford University, as well as the University of California's campuses in Berkeley, Los Angeles, and Irvine. This initiative follows the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Students for Fair Admissions Inc. v. Harvard College, where colleges are barred from using diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) criteria in student admissions.
Attorney General Bondi remarked, "President Trump and I are dedicated to ending illegal discrimination and restoring merit-based opportunity across the country. Every student in America deserves to be judged solely based on their hard work, intellect, and character, not the color of their skin."
The Trump administration has criticized elite educational institutions for allegedly prioritizing racial quotas over merit, suggesting this has led to discrimination against certain applicant groups. The attorney general asserts these practices divide Americans and do not ensure equality of opportunity.
Acting Associate Attorney General Chad Mizelle stated, "The Department of Justice will put an end to a shameful system in which someone’s race matters more than their ability. Every college and university should know that illegal discrimination in admissions will be investigated and eliminated."
The review of these prominent universities' policies is the start of what the Department of Justice describes as its broader aim to dismantle illegal DEI considerations and uphold the principle of equality under the law.