DOJ Investigates UC Berkeley Law for Alleged Racial Bias in Admissions

<p>The Trump administration on September 10, 2026, announced an investigation into the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law for allegedly favoring Black applicants while discriminating against Asian and White students. This action is part of a broader federal initiative targeting race-conscious admissions policies at universities.</p><p>The Department of Justice (DOJ), along with the Department of Education, found Berkeley Law in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits racial discrimination in programs and activities receiving federal funds.</p><p>The DOJ stated, "The data produced by Berkeley Law demonstrates a strong bias against Asian and White applicants, with a corresponding bias in favor of Black applicants."</p><p>This investigation follows a compliance review initiated in March 2025, approximately two years after the Supreme Court's decision that impacted affirmative action programs used by many universities for decades. California had previously banned affirmative action in public education under Proposition 209, enacted in 1996.</p><p>According to the DOJ's analysis, Black applicants in 2025 had "5.8 times higher odds of admission than comparable white applicants." An analysis of LSAT scores for admitted students in 2024 and 2025 indicated that 37% of Black admitted applicants scored below 99% of admitted White applicants.</p><p>Additionally, half of the school's admitted Black applicants had LSAT scores "below 95% of the admitted white applicants." The DOJ's figures showed that from 2021 through 2025, median LSAT scores revealed a persistent disparity among racial groups, with Black admits scoring around 165, while Asian and White admits scored around 172, and Hispanic admits had median scores around 169.</p><p>The department noted, "The median Black admit consistently has an LSAT score about 5 points lower than the median white or Asian admits," in a letter to attorney Tania Faransso, who represents the law school.</p><p>As of October 2025, Berkeley Law had 1,128 students enrolled: 516 were White, 293 were Asian, 51 were Black, and 130 were Hispanic.</p><p>In response to the allegations, Berkeley Law stated that its admissions decisions comply with federal law and Proposition 209. The school emphasized that while race is not considered in admissions decisions, it can still pursue diversity through race-neutral factors such as socioeconomic status and personal experiences.</p><p>Berkeley Law asserted, "Our admissions policy is clear that race is not considered in any way in admissions decisions. Proposition 209, federal statutes and the Supreme Court’s decisions do not preclude schools from pursuing diversity so long as they give no preferences based on race. Berkeley Law does not do so."</p><p>UC Berkeley’s central administration also stated that the school is "committed to ensuring that every student is admitted based on their merit, and not on their race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin." They added, "UC Berkeley will spare no effort to provide ample evidence showing that the university complies with all relevant laws, policies and rules governing admissions."</p>