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Justice Department threatens to sue Harvard over admissions records

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- The U.S. Justice Department (DOJ) is pressing Harvard University to release a trove of records as part of an investigation into the school's admissions practices.

A Nov. 17 letter from the DOJ threatens to sue Harvard if it doesn't release all documents requested by DOJ officials by Dec. 1.

DOJ officials say Harvard has pursued a "strategy of delay" and hasn't provided a single record.

The investigation is related to a federal lawsuit filed by a group of students in 2014 alleging Harvard illegally limits the number of Asian Americans it admits each year.

A statement from Harvard says it "will certainly comply with its obligations" but also needs to protect confidential student records. It says the university wants to work with the department on "the best means of doing so."

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