The U.S. Justice Department filed a lawsuit demanding Harvard produce documents in its civil‑rights review of the university’s admissions practices, accusing the institution of slow‑walking and withholding records necessary for the investigation. The DOJ said its action aims to compel production, not to seek damages or strip federal funding immediately. Harvard responded that it has cooperated in good faith and will defend its independence and legal rights. The filing escalates a yearlong federal scrutiny of elite admissions processes and could presage further enforcement actions that affect institutional compliance, admissions offices and federal‑research relations.