Judge Halts Trump's Data Grab from Public Universities

0:00It's April 4th. You're listening to U.S. News today, AI-powered coverage from across America. I'm Cory with the story. A federal judge in Boston just slammed the brakes on the Trump administration's push to make public universities hand over detailed race data for. Admissions. U.S. District Judge, F. Dennis Saylor IV, issued a preliminary injunction, Friday following a lawsuit from 17 Democratic state attorneys. General. This blocks the data grab for now, but only hits public schools in those suing states. The move stems from President Trump's August order. Aimed at sniffing out illegal race-based practices after the Supreme Court's 2023. Ban on affirmative action. Trump worried colleges were dodging the ruling with sneaky proxies like personal essays. The judge agreed the feds probably have the power to ask for this info, but called the rollout rushed in chaotic, thanks to a tight 100. Money-day deadline that skipped proper input from schools. States fire back hard, saying the demand invades student privacy in sets of witch hunts against

1:04universities with no real time to comply. Lawyers for the coalition called it hasty and irresponsible, likely to mess up campuses big time. On the flip side, the Education Department insists taxpayers need this transparency on how federal funds flow to schools getting aid. The data hunt targets race and sex breakdowns for applicants, admits and enrollees, going back seven years, due originally by March 18th. It mirrors deals the feds cut with Brown and Columbia universities, where they coughed up similar stats plus audits to keep research cash. Meanwhile, the administration suing Harvard separately for dragging feet on records with a fresh 20-day deadline or face justice department, heat. This injunction keeps the data war on pause for public units in key states, but expect appeals and more clashes as both sides dig in over. Post-affirmative action accountability. Schools are watching close, knowing noncompliance could trigger penalties under federal aid laws.