Trump Administration Intervenes in Lawsuit Against UCLA Medical School’s Admissions Process
The Trump administration has taken a significant step by seeking to join a lawsuit filed in federal court, alleging that the University of California, Los Angeles’ (UCLA) David Geffen School of Medicine engages in a “systemically racist approach” to admissions. The lawsuit, filed by the Department of Justice, claims that the medical school’s admissions process unfairly privileges Black and Latino applicants over white and Asian American applicants.
The Department of Justice’s filing is in response to a May lawsuit by Do No Harm, a group founded in 2022 to oppose “disastrous consequences of identity politics” in medicine, and Students for Fair Admissions, the organization behind a Supreme Court ruling that banned race-based affirmative action policies in college admissions. The lawsuit also includes Kelly Mahoney, a white woman who alleges she was rejected by the UCLA medical school due to her race.
Allegations of Racial Balancing and Violations of the U.S. Constitution
The Justice Department alleges that the UCLA medical school engages in “racial balancing,” attempting to create a student body that reflects California’s racial demographics, in violation of the U.S. Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause. The filing cites unnamed “whistleblowers” who claim that Jennifer Lucero, the medical school’s associate dean of admissions, requires applicants to submit responses that allow the committee to infer their race and that she and admissions officers openly discuss using race in admissions.
UCLA medical school spokesman Phil Hampton stated that the university does not comment on pending litigation but emphasized that the medical school is committed to fair processes in all programs and activities, including admissions, consistent with federal and state anti-discrimination laws. Under state law, UCLA is required to follow Proposition 209, which banned the use of race in admissions to public institutions in 1997.
Government Review of Admissions Data and Allegations of Unlawful Policy
The U.S. government reviewed median Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) scores obtained from UCLA for four consecutive years, beginning with the incoming class of 2021. The data shows lower median scores for Black and Latino matriculants (506-509) compared to white and Asian American ones (513-516). The medical school does not have a minimum MCAT score requirement and uses a holistic evaluation that considers areas outside test scores and grades.
The government’s filing cites anonymous quotes from admissions officials and an amicus brief filed by the University of California in the 2023 affirmative action case, which stated that “UC’s experience demonstrates that for some universities… race-neutral measures may prove insufficient, necessitating that the university engage in limited consideration of race.” The filing also points to a 2030 plan published by the University of California, which aims to “reflect California’s diversity.”
Request to Join the Lawsuit and Ongoing Investigations
U.S. District Judge John W. Holcomb must approve the Justice Department’s request to join the case as a plaintiff. This action is the latest in a series of moves by Republican leadership and the Trump administration to probe alleged wrongdoing at the University of California and its academic health centers.
On August 25, House Education and Workforce Committee Chair Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.) sent letters to the UCLA and UC San Francisco medical schools, ordering them to submit years’ worth of internal documents about alleged antisemitism and how the schools responded. The letter followed a $1.2-billion settlement demand sent to UCLA on August 8, which alleges the university violated federal law by using race in admissions and not responding adequately to complaints of alleged anti-Jewish incidents.
Read more about the lawsuit and the Trump administration’s intervention Here
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