Seventeen states led by Democratic attorneys general filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the Trump administration, challenging a new federal policy that requires colleges and universities to collect and report detailed race-based data on their admissions processes.

The lawsuit targets the "Admissions and Consumer Transparency Supplement (ACTS)" survey, which mandates that higher education institutions provide years of admissions and student performance data broken down by race and other demographic categories. The policy requires schools to demonstrate they are not considering race in their admissions decisions.

The new reporting requirements come as part of broader federal efforts to monitor compliance with restrictions on race-conscious admissions practices in higher education. Universities must provide detailed breakdowns of student data across multiple categories to federal authorities.

The coalition of state attorneys general argues the policy represents federal overreach into state educational systems. The lawsuit seeks to block implementation of the data collection requirements before they take effect.

The Trump administration has not yet responded to the legal challenge. The case adds to ongoing national debates over admissions practices and data collection in higher education following recent Supreme Court decisions restricting race-conscious admissions policies.