The U.S. Department of Justice says UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine used race in admissions in ways that the court found unlawful under the post-2023 framework. In a letter of findings, DOJ’s Civil Rights Division head Harmeet Dhillon said the medical school discriminated against white and Asian applicants while favoring Black and Hispanic applicants through non-academic factors tied to diversity goals. DOJ’s evidence included data showing admitted students’ grade-point averages and test scores differed by race in 2023 and 2024. The department also cited application materials inviting students to describe whether they belonged to marginalized groups and the impact of that membership. UCLA’s medical school said it is reviewing DOJ’s findings and reiterated that its admissions process is based on merit and committed to complying with federal and state law. The dispute matters to higher education leaders beyond UCLA because it signals heightened federal monitoring of how institutions interpret “background” and “context” evidence following Supreme Court restrictions—especially for professional programs where admissions rationale is frequently scrutinized.