LDF Urges Yale University to Reject a Settlement with the Department of Justice After Tenuous Allegations of Racial Discrimination in Admissions

Read a PDF of our statement here.

On Aug. 24, the Legal Defense Fund (LDF) sent a letter to Yale University urging it to reject a settlement with the Department of Justice (DOJ), after the agency accused the school of racial discrimination in a May 14, 2026, Letter of Findings.

With no direct evidence, the DOJ claims that the Yale School of Medicine discriminates against white and Asian American applicants in its admissions process. Among other things, the DOJ points to the fact that the number of Black and Latino students admitted did not drop after Students for Fair Admissions Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College(SFFA) - the 2023 Supreme Court case that struck down the use of race by Harvard and the University of North Carolina as a factor in their admissions practices.

"It is clear that the Trump administration's DOJ is not seeking to ensure Yale follows the law, but is trying to force the university to comply with its own views of how to assess student abilities and build the best class," said David Wheaton, Assistant Policy Counsel at LDF. "In the SFFA decision, the Supreme Court made clear that universities may pursue the 'commendable' goal of diversity through lawful means. Given that Yale already entered a settlement that went beyond what is required by SFFA, the university should not agree to further limit its ability to select its students and leave itself open to further pressure from the administration."

Preserving pathways for Black students to enter the medical field is especially important to improve health outcomes. Black people face persistent health disparities, including higher rates of chronic conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease. Doctors who train and practice with people from different backgrounds can more effectively communicate with their patients and are less likely to make mistakes.

###

Founded in 1940, the Legal Defense Fund (LDF)is the nation's first civil rights legal organization. LDF has been completely separate from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) since 1957, though it was founded under the leadership of Thurgood Marshall while he was at the NAACP. LDF's Thurgood Marshall Institute (TMI) is a division of LDF that undertakes innovative research and houses LDF's archive. In all media attributions, please refer to us as the Legal Defense Fund or LDF (do not include NAACP) and refer to the Institute as LDF's Thurgood Marshall Institute or TMI.