Federal Judge Blocks Trump Administration's Data Collection on College Admissions

Sat Apr 04 2026 19:56:52 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A federal judge halts the Trump administration's efforts to collect data aimed at ensuring that colleges are not considering race in admissions, citing a rushed process that fails to engage with universities sufficiently.

In a significant ruling, U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV has granted a preliminary injunction against the Trump administration's data collection initiative regarding racial considerations in college admissions. The ruling, which affects public universities, follows a lawsuit by a coalition of Democratic state attorneys general. The judge criticized the administration for imposing a strict 120-day deadline that hindered proper consultation with educational institutions, raising concerns over potential invasions of student privacy and baseless investigations into universities' practices.

BOSTON (AP) — A federal judge on Friday halted efforts by the Trump administration to collect data that proves higher education institutions aren’t considering race in admissions.

The ruling from U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV in Boston granting the preliminary injunction follows a lawsuit filed earlier this month by a coalition of 17 Democratic state attorneys general. This decision specifically applies to public universities within the jurisdictions of the plaintiffs.

The judge indicated the federal government has the authority to collect such data, but criticized the administration's method of implementation, describing it as rushed and chaotic.

“The 120-day deadline imposed by the President led directly to the failure of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) to engage meaningfully with the institutions during the notice-and-comment process to address the multitude of problems presented by the new requirements,” Judge Saylor stated.

President Donald Trump initially ordered this data collection in August, expressing concerns that colleges were illegally considering race through personal statements and proxies. He claimed these methods constituted discrimination.

In 2023, the Supreme Court ruled against the use of affirmative action in admissions but acknowledged that schools could still consider how race has shaped students' lives if those details are included in their essays.

The states involved in the lawsuit argued that the administration's data collection risks breaching student privacy and could lead to unjustified investigations of universities. They also stressed that institutions were not provided adequate time to gather the necessary data.

A lawyer representing the plaintiffs commented that the demand for data was made in such an irresponsible haste that it could create substantial issues for colleges.

Defending the effort, the Education Department posited that taxpayers deserve transparency regarding the allocation of funds at federally supported institutions.

The administration's policy mirrors several settlement agreements the government achieved with renowned universities, including Brown and Columbia, requiring them to provide detailed admissions data by race and academic standing.

The National Center for Education Statistics is charged with collecting this new data. Education Secretary Linda McMahon stated that the data must be categorized by race and sex and retroactively reported for the last seven years. Failure to comply could result in significant penalties against institutions.

The Trump administration had also previously taken legal action against Harvard University for similar data requests, emphasizing a commitment to ensuring adherence to anti-affirmative action principles.