The Trump administration today backed Asian-American students who have filed a lawsuit against the Harvard University over the Ivy League institution's alleged racial discrimination against them in its admission process.
The Justice Department filed a statement with a federal court alleging that the prestigious university has failed to demonstrate that it does not unlawfully discriminate against Asian-American students on the basis of race.
The Statement of Interest was filed in the ongoing case in federal court in Massachusetts. Students For Fair Admissions, an organisation of students and parents, filed a lawsuit in 2014, alleging that Harvard intentionally discriminates against academically strong Asian-American applicants when making admissions decisions.
Harvard, however, has said that it does not discriminate and will fight to defend its right to use race as a factor in admissions. It argued that its admission of Asian-Americans has risen 29 per cent over the last decade.
In the court filing, Attorney General Jeff Sessions today said, No American should be denied admission to school because of their race. As a recipient of taxpayer dollars, Harvard has a responsibility to conduct its admissions policy without racial discrimination by using meaningful admissions criteria that meet lawful requirements."