A year-long probe into UCLA’s medical school uncovered illegal race-based admissions practices, the federal Department of Justice announced Wednesday.

“ UCLA’s admissions process has been focused on racial demographics at the expense of merit and excellence — allowing racial politics to distract the school from the vital work of training great doctors,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon.

Attorney Harmeet Dhillon MediaNews Group via Getty Images

The department said it has evidence the David Geffen School of Medicine intentionally selected applicants based on their race.…