Trump administration says it’s now illegal for colleges to recruit top students from Black and Hispanic high schools and neighborhoods.

The assertion that the Trump administration declared it illegal for colleges to recruit top students specifically from Black and Hispanic high schools and neighborhoods is not supported by credible evidence. The referenced memo from the Justice Department under the Trump administration focused on declaring race-conscious diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices unlawful, aiming to dismantle affirmative action policies in college admissions.

However, this does not equate to a ban on recruiting top students from any particular racial or ethnic group or geographic area. Instead, it targets the use of race as a factor in admissions decisions.

Furthermore, no official federal law or regulation explicitly prohibits colleges from recruiting students based on their academic merit or from specific schools or neighborhoods. The claim appears to conflate opposition to race-based affirmative action with a broader, inaccurate prohibition on recruitment efforts targeting minority students.

Therefore, while the Trump administration has taken steps to limit race-conscious admissions policies, it has not made it illegal for colleges to recruit top students from Black and Hispanic high schools or neighborhoods.