The U.S. Department of Justice accuses the UCLA School of Law of illegally using race in its admissions process. The DOJ alleges the school violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and conflicted with the Supreme Court’s guidance on affirmative action by allegedly favoring Black and Latino applicants.
UCLA Law disputes the allegation, saying its admissions decisions are merit-based and comply with California’s Proposition 209, which restricts state-supported institutions from considering race in public education admissions. Other reporting says the DOJ investigation spans multiple incoming classes and includes additional claims that the policy discriminates against white and Asian American applicants.
The outlets frame the dispute as part of a broader pattern of federal scrutiny of selective admissions practices. The Hill notes similar allegations that the Trump administration has made or pursued at other institutions, including UCLA’s medical school and law schools at Duke University and the University of North Carolina. Overall, the case centers on the DOJ’s findings versus UCLA’s position that its process is lawful.
