Seventeen Democratic-led states filed a lawsuit Wednesday challenging the Trump administration's demand that colleges submit detailed student data on race and gender. The Education Department, under Secretary Linda McMahon, announced in August that schools must report disaggregated data on applicants' race, gender, test scores, and GPAs. The administration claims this will ensure colleges aren't using racial preferences in admissions, following the 2023 Supreme Court ruling against race-conscious admissions.

State attorneys general argue the mandate creates an undue burden and targets diversity efforts. New York Attorney General Letitia James called it a political witch hunt, accusing the administration of turning the National Center for Education Statistics into a partisan enforcement tool. The states say the policy was rushed to undermine diversity initiatives at taxpayer-funded institutions.

The Education Department maintains the data collection promotes transparency, claiming it shouldn't take years of litigation to identify potential discrimination against applicants. Conservative groups have long argued that preferences for underrepresented minorities harm white and Asian applicants at competitive schools. After the Supreme Court decision, universities attempted to maintain diversity within legal limits, but the Trump administration now scrutinizes for "hidden racial proxies" and economic diversity measures.