Federal Judge Blocks Trump's Data Collection on College Admissions

Sat Apr 04 2026 20:01:02 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A federal judge in Boston has issued a preliminary injunction halting the Trump administration's push to collect data from universities regarding race considerations in admissions, citing rushed procedures and potential privacy violations.

U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV granted a preliminary injunction against the Trump administration's requirements for public universities to report on the role of race in admissions decisions. The judge stressed that the government's abrupt demands failed to adequately consider the complexities surrounding the process. The decision comes after a lawsuit filed by a coalition of 17 Democratic attorneys general, who argue that the data collection could invade student privacy and result in unwarranted scrutiny of universities. This ruling follows the Supreme Court's decision against affirmative action in college admissions, emphasizing the ongoing debate over race's impact in higher education.

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 granted a preliminary injunction that follows a lawsuit filed by a coalition of 17 Democratic state attorneys general. This injunction applies specifically to public universities in the states represented in the suit.

Judge Saylor expressed that while the federal government likely has the authority to collect such data, the administration’s demands were executed in a rushed and chaotic manner. 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, he wrote.

President Donald Trump initiated this data collection directive in August, voicing concerns that colleges were utilizing personal statements and other indirect measures to take race into account during admissions—which he deems to be discriminatory.

The Supreme Court ruled against affirmative action in admissions in 2023 but maintained that colleges could consider how race influences students’ experiences if shared through admissions essays.

State attorneys general argue that the data collection poses risks to student privacy and could lead to unjust investigations into colleges for their admissions practices. They also claimed that universities have not been granted sufficient time to gather necessary data.

“The data has been sought in such a hasty and irresponsible way that it will create problems for universities,” said Michelle Pascucci, a lawyer for the plaintiffs. In defense, the Education Department argues that taxpayers deserve transparency regarding federal funding usage at educational institutions.

The administration suggested that if institutions fail to provide timely and accurate data, actions may be taken under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965. The new data collection would include applicants’ race and sex, as well as admissions statistics from the past seven years.

The Education Secretary indicated that compliance with these data requests is critical and failure to meet these requirements could result in significant repercussions for the institutions involved.