Federal officials from the Justice and Education Departments have accused the University of California, Berkeley School of Law of using admissions practices that favor Black applicants while disadvantaging white and Asian candidates. This comes as part of a broader initiative by the Trump administration to scrutinize diversity initiatives at universities across the United States. The government claims that the law school uses factors such as race and essay responses to meet its diversity goals. However, Erwin Chemerinsky, the dean of UC Berkeley School of Law, insists that race is not considered in any way during admissions decisions. The university has pledged to provide thorough evidence to prove its compliance with all relevant laws and regulations governing student admissions. The investigation aligns with President Donald Trump's broader stance that diversity programs in higher education are discriminatory and undermine merit-based admissions. Trump has signed executive orders aimed at ending such initiatives, while civil rights advocates argue these programs are necessary to address historical inequalities faced by women, the LGBTQ+ community, and ethnic minorities. In 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against race-conscious admissions, striking down similar programs at Harvard and the University of North Carolina. According to the Trump administration, data from Berkeley Law shows a significant bias against Asian and white applicants, with Black candidates having 5.8 times greater odds of admission compared to white applicants in 2025. Enrollment figures from October 2025 show that the law school had 1,128 students, including 516 white students, 293 Asian students, and 51 Black students. The Department of Justice is seeking a voluntary resolution agreement with Berkeley Law as part of its ongoing probe into the university's admissions policies. This investigation is part of a larger campaign by the Trump administration targeting multiple higher education institutions over their admissions criteria. The administration has also launched inquiries into universities regarding pro-Palestinian protests on campuses, policies on climate change, and transgender rights, raising concerns about the impact on academic freedom, due process, and free speech.