PAAIA welcomes restored access and continues to seek transparency, remedies, and safeguards against future discrimination

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA) welcomes the Law School Admission Council’s (LSAC) written confirmation on September 18 that it had restored full access to all affected applicants eligible under federal law. PAAIA has received no additional complaints about access to LSAC services since then. Affected applicants first contacted PAAIA during the week of September 7 and shared LSAC notices and accounts of disruptions to testing and law school applications. Their reports showed that, after the federal government suspended Iran General License G on August 24, 2026, LSAC interpreted and applied the sanctions change too broadly, restricting the accounts of applicants of Iranian heritage or nationality—including U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents living in the United States whom the suspension did not bar from receiving LSAC services.

PAAIA led the effort to challenge LSAC’s misinterpretation and overbroad application of the sanctions rules. On September 11, PAAIA alerted the Iranian American community and the public and sent a detailed letter to LSAC. PAAIA explained that Iranian heritage or nationality alone does not create a prohibited sanctions nexus and demanded immediate review, restoration, transparency, and safeguards against discrimination. Representatives Yassamin Ansari and Dave Min subsequently reinforced those concerns through a September 15 congressional letter.

LSAC has emphasized its obligation to comply with federal sanctions law. The issue, however, is whether LSAC applied the law correctly. OFAC’s suspension of General License G did not make Iranian heritage or citizenship, standing alone, grounds for denying services. LSAC’s corrections demonstrate that its initial screening captured applicants who remained legally entitled to receive its services.

PAAIA is proud to have led this effort and pleased that affected applicants have regained access. As the leading Iranian American civic organization, PAAIA has a responsibility to defend the civil liberties and constitutional rights of Iranian Americans and to challenge discrimination by public and private institutions. Iranian Americans have helped build this country, strengthen its institutions, and protect its national security. No institution should treat them as legally suspect because of their heritage, national origin, or family ties.

Important questions remain. LSAC has not disclosed how it selected accounts for restriction, how many applicants it affected, how it will remedy any harm caused by interrupted access, delayed review, or inaccurate instructions, or what safeguards it has adopted. A general compliance email address does not replace a transparent, expedited, and uniform review process.

PAAIA thanks the affected applicants who came forward and made a rapid response possible. PAAIA has requested a substantive response from LSAC and will continue monitoring unresolved cases. Anyone who still cannot access LSAC services should contact [email protected] and notify PAAIA so that it can track and assist with the matter.