Judge halts Trump effort requiring colleges to show they aren't considering race in admissions

April 4, 2026

TL;DR

A federal judge blocked the Trump administration's order for colleges to provide data proving race is not a factor in admissions.
The judge cited the "rushed and chaotic" implementation of the data collection requirement and the short deadline.
The ruling is a preliminary injunction and applies only to public universities in states that sued.
States argued the data collection would invade student privacy and give universities insufficient time to comply.
The Trump administration defended the effort as necessary for transparency on how federal funds are used.
The order was issued after the Supreme Court ruled against affirmative action but allowed consideration of how race shaped an applicant's life.

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