UC Berkeley Law discriminated in admissions, Trump administration finds

Published September 9, 2026 7:43pm ET



The University of California, Berkeley, School of Law discriminated against white and Asian applicants, the Trump administration said Wednesday, accusing the school of using admissions essays and other practices to favor applicants based on race.

A joint Justice Department and Education Department investigation concluded that Berkeley Law violated federal civil rights law and the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling against race-based college admissions. The university disputed the findings, saying its admissions process complies with the law.

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