Yale University’s medical school illegally discriminates in admissions to favor black and Hispanic students, a Justice Department investigation found.
On Thursday, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division completed a year-long investigation into the Ivy League school’s admissions policies and practices. According to the federal government, Yale admits black and Hispanic applicants at higher rates than white and Asian applicants with similar academic credentials.
“Black and Hispanic applicants were admitted with consistently lower academic qualifications than their White and Asian counterparts,” the DOJ said in a statement. “These facts support the Department’s finding that Yale violated the law by intentionally discriminating based on race in its admissions, in clear violation of federal law.”
The findings suggest Yale may be violating the landmark 2023 Supreme Court ruling striking down race-based affirmative action policies at Harvard and the University of North Carolina.
“The students admitted to Yale School of Medicine demonstrate exceptional academic achievement and personal commitment; its program of medical education encourages curiosity and critical thinking, and its graduates go on to become leaders in clinical care, research, and public service,” a university spokesperson said in a statement to The Daily Wire. “We will carefully review the Department of Justice’s letter. Yale School of Medicine is confident in the rigorous admissions process we follow.
The Department of Justice, however, disagrees.
“Yale has continued its race-based admissions program despite the Supreme Court and the public’s clear mandate for reform,” Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon said. “This Department will continue to shed light on these illegal practices, and demand that institutions of higher education comply with federal law.”
Dhillon later pointed to the DOJ’s statistical analysis.
“At Yale Medical School, a black applicant is 29 times more likely to be invited to interview than an Asian with equally strong academics,” Dhillon added. “Today,@CivilRights told Yale that its use of race in admissions is ILLEGAL — and that @TheJusticeDept will step in to enforce Title VI.”
At Yale Medical School, a black applicant is 29 times more likely to be invited to interview than an Asian with equally strong academics.
Today, @CivilRights told Yale that its use of race in admissions is ILLEGAL—and that @TheJusticeDept will step in to enforce Title VI.…
— AAGHarmeetDhillon (@AAGDhillon) May 14, 2026
The findings come amid renewed national debate over affirmative action and admission at elite universities.
Former MSNBC host Joy Reid recently claimed that Vice President JD Vance benefited from affirmative action at Yale, suggesting the university pursued geographic diversity by admitting “an Appalachian white.”
Joy Reid: “JD Vance got into Yale because they were tired of just letting in white men from New York … They wanted an Appalachian white. That’s how that man got into Yale, I promise you.”
How is one such miserable person named Joy? pic.twitter.com/YepzfccNc3
— Defiant L’s (@DefiantLs) May 14, 2026
The far-left commentator has publicly credited affirmative action with helping her attend Harvard.
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