Indian Americans and the Trump Administration: Affirmative Action at Universities

The Supreme Court overturned longstanding affirmative action precedent in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard in 2023. Many observers predicted that, as a consequence, the number of Asian Americans at elite universities would increase. However, the results have been mixed. Schools like MIT enrolled Asian Americans in greater numbers in 2024 than in prior years, but other schools, such as Yale, had relatively the same number of Asian Americans in 2024 as they had in prior years. The results were likewise mixed for other groups. Beyond affirmative action, there are several other university policies that the Trump administration may seek to influence, including curriculum, the handling of discrimination complaints, and campus protest.

What constitutional powers does President Trump have to pressure universities to change their policies? What is the prospect of Congressional action? Can universities, particularly those based in religious values, successfully argue for exemptions?

Moderator: Sital Kalantry, Founding Director Roundglass India Center, Associate Dean and Professor of Law at the Seattle University Law School.