DOJ Asks Court to Dismiss Lawsuit Over Race-Based Admissions at Naval Academy

The lawsuit is moot because race is no longer considered “in any way at any point” during the the academy’s admissions process, the DOJ said.

Underclassmen stand and salute for the National Anthem as they attend the commencement ceremony for graduating Midshipmen at the 2025 U.S. Naval Academy graduation in Annapolis, Md., on May 23, 2025. Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images

The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday asked a federal appeals court to dismiss a lawsuit challenging the use of racial preferences in admissions at the U.S. Naval Academy, saying that the practice has already been eliminated.

In a motion filed on behalf of both parties, the DOJ said the lawsuit is moot because race and ethnicity “are no longer considered in any way at any point” during the academy’s admissions process. The department emphasized that these changes “are intended to be permanent.”