U.S. Department of Education Opens Investigations into Five Universities over Alleged Exclusionary Scholarships

Strategic Insights -

The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has launched investigations into five universities, namely the University of Louisville, the University of Nebraska Omaha, the University of Miami, the University of Michigan, and Western Michigan University, over allegations of exclusionary scholarships that benefit students with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) or "undocumented" status. This move comes after complaints were submitted by the Legal Insurrection Foundation's Equal Protection Project, which seeks to ensure equal protection under the law and non-discrimination by the government in any form. The investigations aim to determine whether these universities are granting scholarships based on national origin, in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Key Takeaways:

  • The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has launched investigations into five universities over alleged exclusionary scholarships that benefit students with DACA or "undocumented" status.
  • The investigations are based on complaints submitted by the Legal Insurrection Foundation's Equal Protection Project, which seeks to ensure equal protection under the law and non-discrimination by the government.
  • The universities under investigation are the University of Louisville, the University of Nebraska Omaha, the University of Miami, the University of Michigan, and Western Michigan University.
  • The investigations will examine whether these universities are granting scholarships based on national origin, in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
  • The complaints also alleged that some scholarships exclude students based on other aspects of Title VI, including race and color.
  • The Equal Protection Project's founder, William A. Jacobson, stated that discrimination against American-born students must not be tolerated.
  • The investigations will also examine additional scholarships that appear to exclude students based on other aspects of Title VI.

Statistics:

  • Five universities are under investigation, namely the University of Louisville, the University of Nebraska Omaha, the University of Miami, the University of Michigan, and Western Michigan University.
  • 10 scholarships are alleged to provide unlawful exclusionary funding based on national origin, including:

+ 4 scholarships that appear to exclude students with DACA or "undocumented" status.

+ 6 scholarships that exclude students based on other aspects of Title VI, including race and color.

Sources:

  • U.S. Department of Education. (2025, July 23). U.S. Department of Education Opens Investigations into Five Universities for Alleged Exclusionary Scholarships Benefitting Illegal Alien Students. Retrieved from https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-education-opens-investigations-five-universities-alleged-exclusionary-scholarships-benefitting-illegal-alien-students
  • Legal Insurrection Foundation's Equal Protection Project. (2025, January 21). President Trump's America First Policies and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Retrieved from https://legalinsurrection.org/2025/01/president-trump-america-first-policies-and-the-civil-rights-act-of-1964/