Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced on Mar. 11 that he has joined a coalition of 17 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration’s new data reporting demands for colleges and universities. The suit challenges recent changes to the Integrated Postsecondary Education System (IPEDS), which require higher education institutions to provide additional student information to the Department of Education.
The attorneys general argue that these new requirements threaten student privacy and could expose schools to unwarranted investigations. They say the rushed implementation leaves institutions at risk of making errors, which could result in penalties or unreliable data being reported.
“The Department of Education’s demand represents the latest push by the administration to malign lawful diversity, equity and inclusion efforts,” Raoul said. “This requirement imposes undue burdens on higher education institutions and presents a real risk to student privacy.”
IPEDS is a mandatory survey system used since 1986 by colleges, universities, and technical programs participating in federal financial aid programs. According to President Trump’s Aug. 7, 2025 memo, IPEDS would now be used to track compliance with the Supreme Court decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, which prohibits race as a factor in admissions decisions. The lawsuit claims this approach ignores the complexity of admissions processes and seeks sensitive information such as student income, test scores, and grade point averages.
Raoul and his colleagues also argue that the Department of Education failed to define key terms before rolling out these requirements, increasing confusion among universities about what information must be provided. The lawsuit notes that staff reductions within the department have further limited guidance available to educational institutions.
The Illinois Attorney General’s office has a history of advocating for vulnerable groups including workers, immigrants, and seniors according to its official website. It handles thousands of consumer complaints each year according to its official website, aims to protect consumers while promoting safer communities and environmental rights issues according to its official website, extends advocacy efforts across Illinois according to its official website, partners with law enforcement agencies for crime victim support according to its official website, and offers services such as complaint filing for consumer fraud or civil rights violations according to its official website.
Joining Raoul in this legal action are attorneys general from California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin and Washington.