Justice Department Accuses Yale Medical School of Illegally Using Race in Admissions
The Justice Department accused Yale University School of Medicine on May 17, 2026 of violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by illegally considering race in admissions. The investigation found a Black applicant had as much as 29 times higher odds of getting an interview than an equally strong Asian applicant. Yale is the second institution facing such allegations in May 2026, following UCLA's medical school.
Justice Department discrimination allegations
▪The Justice Department is seeking to enter into a voluntary resolution agreement with Yale University.
▪The Justice Department investigation found that Black and Hispanic students have a much higher chance of admission to Yale School of Medicine than white or Asian students, despite having lower grade-point averages and lower test scores.
▪The Justice Department accused Yale University on May 17, 2026 of illegally considering race in admissions to Yale School of Medicine.
▪Harmeet Dhillon alleged that Yale School of Medicine was violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibiting discrimination.
▪The Justice Department has the authority to take Yale School of Medicine to court to enforce Title VI if the agency cannot obtain compliance through voluntary means.
Yale admissions data disparities
▪Yale School of Medicine's use of race resulted in a Black applicant having as much as 29 times higher odds of getting an interview for admission than an equally strong Asian applicant with similar academic credentials, according to the Justice Department's preliminary review of applicant-level data.
▪The Justice Department cited differences in grade-point averages and standardized test scores as evidence of racial preferences in Yale School of Medicine's incoming classes of 2023, 2024 and 2025.
▪In Yale School of Medicine's most recent class, Black students had a median GPA of 3.88 and a median MCAT score in the 95th percentile.
Supreme Court affirmative action ruling
▪Harmeet Dhillon wrote that the lack of any change in Yale School of Medicine's admissions outcomes after the Supreme Court ruling showed a willful failure to comply with that decision.
▪A U.S. Supreme Court decision in 2023 banned the use of affirmative action in college admissions, in cases involving Harvard and the University of North Carolina.
▪Yale University filed an amicus brief in the Student for Fair Admissions lawsuit that led to the 2023 Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action, stating Yale would not be able to maintain diverse classes without explicit consideration of race.
▪The Justice Department said the fact that Yale School of Medicine was able to maintain similarly diverse classes after the 2023 Supreme Court ruling is evidence that Yale engaged in race discrimination.
Trump administration enforcement campaign
▪The Trump administration has been putting pressure on universities to stop using race as a basis for admission since President Donald Trump returned to office in 2025.
▪A coalition of 17 Democratic state attorneys general filed a lawsuit in March 2026 challenging a Trump administration policy that requires higher education institutions to collect data showing they aren't considering race in admissions.
▪Yale School of Medicine is the second institution to face discrimination allegations by the Justice Department in May 2026.
▪The Justice Department notified the University of California, Los Angeles in May 2026 that UCLA's medical school illegally considered race in admissions.
▪Harmeet Dhillon is assistant attorney general for civil rights.
Yale School of Medicine response
▪Yale School of Medicine stated it is confident in the rigorous admissions process Yale follows.
▪Yale School of Medicine stated it will review the Justice Department letter.
Perspective of Justice Department / Trump administration
▪The Justice Department said the fact that Yale School of Medicine was able to maintain similarly diverse classes after the 2023 Supreme Court ruling is evidence that Yale engaged in race discrimination.
▪Harmeet Dhillon wrote that the lack of any change in Yale School of Medicine's admissions outcomes after the Supreme Court ruling showed a willful failure to comply with that decision.
Perspective of Democratic state attorneys general coalition
▪A coalition of 17 Democratic state attorneys general filed a lawsuit in March 2026 challenging a Trump administration policy that requires higher education institutions to collect data showing they aren't considering race in admissions.
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