DOJ Lawsuit Targets Harvard Over Admissions Data Compliance

The DOJ has sued Harvard for withholding admissions data, escalating the battle over merit-based entry and the 2023 Supreme Court affirmative action ban.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 9, 2026, 10:43 AM EDT

Source: CNBC

Shifting Demographics and the Rise of Asian American Enrollment

Despite the ongoing legal friction, Harvard’s recently released data for the Class of 2029 reveals a dramatic demographic transformation within its halls. Asian American students now comprise a record 41% of the admitted class, representing a significant jump from the 29.9% recorded for the Class of 2027—the final group admitted before the affirmative action ban. This 11-percentage-point surge suggests that the removal of race-conscious "plus factors" has fundamentally recalibrated the competitive landscape for elite education.

Conversely, enrollment for other minority groups has experienced a steady decline. Black student representation at Harvard fell to 11.5% for the Class of 2029, down from 14% the previous year and 18% in 2023. Hispanic enrollment saw a sharper drop, falling to 11% from a peak of 16% for the Class of 2028. These figures mirror trends at peer institutions like Princeton, where Black enrollment reached its lowest proportion since 1968, highlighting a systemic shift toward a more academically prioritized selection process.

Strategic Maneuvers and the Scapegoating of Elite Institutions

Analysts view the DOJ's focus on Harvard as both a legal necessity and a strategic political maneuver. By targeting the nation’s wealthiest and most visible university, the administration aims to set a precedent that will ripple through the entire higher education sector. Industry experts suggest that Harvard is effectively being used as a "litmus test" for the administration's broader agenda to dismantle Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) frameworks across American institutions.

The university’s vast resources allow it to mount a significant defense, effectively acting as a proxy for smaller institutions that lack the capital to contest federal oversight. Harvard officials maintain that their current "race-blind" process—where admissions officers do not review the racial composition of the applicant pool until the cycle is finalized—is fully compliant with the Supreme Court’s mandate. However, the DOJ argues that only a granular review of applicant-level data, including grades, test scores, and essays, can prove these claims.