US Justice Department Accuses Yale Medical School of Illegal Race-Based Admissions

The U.S. Department of Justice has accused Yale University’s medical school of illegally considering race in its admissions process, violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In a letter to Yale’s legal counsel, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon stated that an investigation revealed Black and Hispanic applicants received significantly higher admission odds than white or Asian applicants with superior academic credentials. The DOJ cited data from the classes of 2023 through 2025, noting that Black applicants had up to 29 times higher odds of securing an interview compared to equally qualified Asian applicants. This action follows a similar notification sent to UCLA and aligns with the Trump administration’s broader campaign against affirmative action in higher education, subsequent to the 2023 Supreme Court ruling banning race-conscious admissions. The DOJ is seeking a voluntary resolution but retains the authority to litigate if compliance is not achieved. Yale officials have not yet commented on the allegations. The department argued that Yale’s continued diverse enrollment figures post-ruling indicate a willful failure to adhere to federal law.