The U.S. Department of Education has launched a new investigation into Harvard University’s undergraduate admissions practices, adding another layer of federal scrutiny to a long-running fight over race-conscious admissions. Officials said the review is tied to concerns about whether the school is complying with recent Supreme Court limits on the use of race in admissions decisions.

The move comes as universities across the country continue to adjust their admissions policies after the court sharply narrowed the use of affirmative action. Harvard has already faced intense legal and political pressure over how it selects students and whether its process treats applicants fairly under federal law.

The department did not immediately release full details of the new probe, but the investigation signals that the government is still watching elite campuses closely as they rewrite admissions rules. For Harvard, the review could bring renewed legal and public-relations challenges at a time when higher education remains under heavy political scrutiny.

The case is part of a broader national debate over merit, access, and equality in college admissions, with opponents and supporters of race-conscious policies still sharply divided over how universities should balance diversity goals with legal restrictions.