Chicago – April 05, 2026
A federal judge in Boston has halted a Trump administration effort to require colleges to provide data showing they are not considering race in admissions. The ruling gives a temporary win to 17 Democratic state attorneys general who sued over the policy.
BOSTON (AP) — A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to force colleges and universities to submit admissions data intended to prove race is not being used in decision-making. U.S. District Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV issued a preliminary injunction Friday after 17 Democratic attorneys general challenged the policy.
The judge said the federal government likely has authority to collect the information, but described the rollout as “rushed and chaotic.” He limited the ruling to public universities in the states involved in the lawsuit.
President Donald Trump ordered the data collection after raising concerns that colleges were using essays and other proxies to consider race. The states argued the demand threatened student privacy and could trigger baseless investigations.
The case adds to the broader legal fight over college admissions after the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling against affirmative action.
