The US Department of Justice has accused Duke Law School of illegally considering race in admissions, alleging that its practices disadvantaged white and Asian applicants. The finding is significant because it is part of the Trump administration’s wider scrutiny of university admissions following the 2023 Supreme Court decision restricting race-conscious admissions.

The department said Duke relied on factors such as personal essays and first-generation college status as proxies for race, and that Black and Hispanic applicants were more likely to be admitted than white or Asian applicants with comparable academic credentials. Duke said it was reviewing the DOJ letter and remained committed to complying with the law while pursuing its academic mission.