Log In Get Started
World March 23, 2026

U.S. Education Department Opens Two New Investigations Into Harvard

Probes target alleged race-based admissions preferences after Supreme Court ruling and claims of antisemitism on campus

By Avery Klein
U.S. Education Department Opens Two New Investigations Into Harvard

The U.S. Education Department's civil rights office has initiated two separate investigations into Harvard University, examining claims of discrimination on the basis of race, color and national origin and allegations of antisemitism. The inquiries will assess whether admissions practices include race-based preferences following the Supreme Court's 2023 decision that ended affirmative action in higher education, and will review reports of antisemitic incidents on Harvard's campus. Harvard has not immediately responded to requests for comment but has in the past condemned discrimination and acknowledged reports that Jewish and Muslim students faced bigotry and abuse.

Key Points

  • The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights opened two investigations into Harvard over alleged discrimination based on race, color and national origin.
  • One probe will investigate whether Harvard's admissions practices include race-based preferences following the U.S. Supreme Court's 2023 ruling that ended affirmative action in higher education - sector impacted: higher education and legal.
  • A separate investigation will examine allegations of antisemitism on Harvard's campus, building on internal task force reports that found Jewish and Muslim students had faced bigotry and abuse - sector impacted: higher education and campus safety.

WASHINGTON, March 23 - The administration of President Donald Trump said on Monday that the U.S. Department of Education has opened two fresh investigations into Harvard University, expanding a broader scrutiny of leading U.S. higher education institutions.

The Department's Office for Civil Rights announced that it has launched separate inquiries into allegations that Harvard "continues to discriminate against students on the basis of race, color, and national origin" in ways that violate federal law. One investigation will examine admissions practices to determine whether race-based preferences are being used after the U.S. Supreme Court's 2023 decision that ended affirmative action in higher education. The second probe will focus on allegations of antisemitism occurring on Harvard's campus.

Harvard did not immediately provide a response to a request for comment. The university has previously stated it condemns all forms of discrimination and said it seeks to combat bigotry. Additionally, task forces convened by Harvard released reports last year that found Jewish and Muslim students at the university had experienced bigotry and abuse.

Scope of the inquiries

The two investigations are distinct in focus. One centers on admissions policy and whether actions taken by the university amount to race-based preferences post the Supreme Court's 2023 affirmative action ruling. The other targets allegations of antisemitic conduct and incidents on campus, reflecting concerns raised in internal reviews earlier this year.

Institutional response and context

Officials at Harvard have previously issued statements condemning discrimination broadly and pointing to efforts intended to address bigotry. The university's task forces reported last year that both Jewish and Muslim students had reported instances of abuse and bigotry, a finding referenced by the Department of Education in announcing the new probes.

The investigations mark the latest federal action directed at prominent U.S. colleges and universities. The Department of Education's civil rights office will examine the matters under federal civil rights law, with further steps and findings to be determined as the inquiries proceed.

Risks

  • Ongoing legal and regulatory uncertainty for Harvard while investigations proceed - could affect administrative and compliance resources in the higher education sector.
  • Reputational risk linked to allegations of discrimination and antisemitism, which may influence student and faculty perceptions and institutional trust in the education sector.
  • Policy uncertainty around admissions practices after the Supreme Court's 2023 ruling, leaving higher education institutions to navigate changing legal expectations and oversight.

More from World

Zelenskiy: Ukraine Intelligence Shows Russia Is Providing Iran With Data Mar 23, 2026 Iranian National Released from Custody After Alleged Attempt to Access UK Submarine Base Mar 23, 2026 Newark Tower Evacuated After Burning Smell; Morning Ground Stop Briefly Halts Flights Mar 23, 2026 Danish Election Likely to Trim Social Democrats as Greenland Row Clouds Campaign Mar 23, 2026 Four Hatzola Ambulances Set Alight in Golders Green; Police Treat Incident as Antisemitic Arson Mar 23, 2026