SW News: The US Supreme Court struck down Harvard University's and the University of North Carolina's racial admissions policies on Thursday. This effectively outlaws affirmative action programs that had been used for years to increase the enrollment of Black, Hispanic, and other underrepresented minority students in America.

The justices ruled that affirmative action admissions programs that take into account an applicant's race in ways similar to Harvard and the University of North Carolina did violate the US Constitution's promise of equal protection under the law. This landmark decision will force many colleges and universities to overhaul their admissions policies.

The court supported Students for Fair Admissions, a group founded by anti-affirmative action activist Edward Blum, in its appeal of lower court decisions upholding programs used at the two prestigious schools to foster a diverse student population. The liberal justices dissented from the decision.

The votes were 6-3 in favor of UNC and 6-2 in favor of Harvard.

US President Joe Biden condemned the ruling written by Chief Justice John Roberts. The Democratic president asked colleges not to abandon their commitment to student diversity.

Chief Justice Roberts said that a student must be treated based on his or her experiences as an individual not based on race. “Many universities have for too long done just the opposite. And in doing so, they have concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individual's identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the color of their skin. Our constitutional history does not tolerate that choice,” he wrote.

In a concurring opinion, conservative Justice Clarence Thomas stated that the Grutter v. Bollinger decision is overruled. It allowed colleges to utilize race as one consideration in admissions due to the compelling interest in diversifying student enrollment,

After Thursday’s ruling, many Republican politicians and presidential hopefuls praised the choice for embracing "merit-based" admissions. Former President Donald Trump, who is running again in 2024, hailed the ruling as a great day for America.