Harvard Under Federal Scrutiny: Trump Administration Launches Race-Based Discrimination Probes

The Trump administration announced on Monday that it is launching investigations into Harvard University and the Harvard Law Review following allegations that the prestigious journal prioritized race over merit when selecting articles for publication. This move intensifies ongoing tensions between the administration and the Ivy League institution.

The latest investigations are unfolding amid broader conflicts, as the Trump administration pressures Harvard to dismantle its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and to implement ideological screenings for international students. These demands have become flashpoints in the battle between federal authorities and one of America's most elite universities.

Adding to the friction, the Trump administration recently froze $2.2 billion in federal grants to Harvard. Officials cited concerns over antisemitism on campus among other issues, prompting Harvard to file a lawsuit challenging the legality of the funding suspension just last week.

On Monday, civil rights offices within both the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services confirmed they are investigating whether the Harvard Law Review's membership and article selection policies violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title VI forbids discrimination based on race, color, or national origin by institutions receiving federal aid.

Federal investigators intend to examine the financial and administrative ties between Harvard and the Law Review, scrutinizing membership criteria, article review policies, and the broader oversight mechanisms in place. The probe was triggered in part by allegations published by The Washington Free Beacon, a conservative news outlet.

The Free Beacon’s report, which cited internal Harvard Law Review documents spanning more than four years, accused the journal of engaging in systemic racial discrimination. According to the article, while just over half of the journal's members are selected purely based on academic performance, the remainder are chosen through a "holistic review" process that prioritizes underrepresented groups based on race, gender identity, and sexual orientation.

Furthermore, the article alleged that race plays a significant role at every stage of the article selection process at the Law Review, suggesting that editors often promoted or rejected submissions based, at least in part, on the race of the author. Specific examples cited editors expressing concerns over racial representation among article responders or expediting the review of pieces authored by minorities.

In their joint announcement, the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services referenced excerpts from the Free Beacon's article, including concerns voiced by Law Review editors about racial dynamics in article responses. One quote noted that four of five people responding to an article on police reform were white men, while another editor advocated for fast-tracking a submission because the author was a minority.

Craig Trainor, the acting assistant secretary for civil rights at the Department of Education, emphasized in a statement that Harvard’s practices, if true, represent clear violations of civil rights law. "Title VI is unambiguous: federal funding recipients cannot discriminate based on race, color, or national origin," Trainor said. "No institution, regardless of its prestige, is above the law. The Trump administration remains committed to ensuring that civil rights are protected for all."