The U.S. Department of Justice opened an investigation into City University of New York over allegations that CUNY’s Black Male Initiative violates civil rights law. DOJ said the program provides educational benefits to minorities, particularly Black males, based on race, through support such as peer mentorship, counseling, tutoring, and entrepreneurship workshops. The BMI is systemwide across 24 CUNY campuses and is described as focused on boosting graduation and retention outcomes for Black, Caribbean, and Hispanic men, while remaining “open to all academically eligible students.” The DOJ’s position is that the initiative’s structure and messaging could still violate Title VI, which bars federally funded institutions from discriminating on the basis of race, color, or national origin. CUNY has not responded publicly to the allegations, and the case arrives amid a broader wave of DOJ civil rights actions in higher education, including investigations into medical school admissions and other diversity-related programs. If DOJ pursues enforcement, CUNY and similarly designed student success initiatives may be forced to revise eligibility criteria, outreach language, and benefit delivery—raising compliance questions for campus units balancing targeted outcomes with nondiscrimination obligations.