The state’s elite campuses, prohibited from using race-based admissions for decades, are now admitting more Black and Hispanic students. A new group is suing, arguing the university system is cheating.

A group representing white and Asian high school and college students filed a complaint Monday in federal court against the University of California claiming nine of its campuses use racial preferences in admissions in violation of federal antidiscrimination laws.

A federal lawsuit accuses the University of California of illegally considering race when accepting new students, alleging that the system's long-term growth of Black and Latino enrollment would not be possible under a state law prohibiting the use of race in admissions and a Supreme Court ruling that struck down affirmative action.

The University of California system was sued on Monday by a student group for alleged racial discrimination in admissions by favoring Black and Hispanic applicants over Asian-American and white applicants.