U.S. Justice Department Accuses UCLA Med School of Race-Based Admissions Discrimination

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U.S. Justice Department Accuses UCLA Med School of Race-Based Admissions Discrimination

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The U.S. Department of Justice has launched an investigation into UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine, alleging the institution engaged in unlawful racial discrimination in its admissions process. The probe centers on practices for the incoming classes from 2023 to 2025, claiming the school favored certain racial groups while disadvantaging white and Asian American applicants.

This stems from broader scrutiny of affirmative action policies following the Supreme Court’s landmark June 2023 decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, which ruled that race-conscious admissions at Harvard and the University of North Carolina violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. That 6-3 ruling ended decades of race-based preferences in higher education, mandating that universities treat applicants as individuals without racial stereotypes.

Title VI prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in programs receiving federal financial assistance, which includes UCLA’s medical school. The DOJ’s findings, outlined in a letter dated May 6, 2026, highlight how the Geffen School allegedly maintained discriminatory metrics post-Supreme Court, such as assigning demographic bonuses or penalties in evaluations.

The investigation reflects a wave of federal actions under the Trump administration’s renewed focus on civil rights enforcement. Similar probes have targeted other elite medical schools, including Stanford and Johns Hopkins, amid concerns that legacy affirmative action persists covertly through proxies like essays or “diversity” grids.

UCLA has not publicly responded in detail, but California banned race-based admissions in public universities via Proposition 209 in 1996, adding state-level context. The DOJ has demanded remedies, potentially including policy overhauls, training, and compensation. This case underscores ongoing tensions between diversity goals and legal equality in elite academia.

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