The US Supreme Court on Thursday found colleges' consideration of race-conscious admissions policies violate the Constitution, a momentous decision overturning decades of precedent on affirmative action.

 

The court's conservative majority said Harvard University and the University of North Carolina, the nation's oldest private and public colleges, discriminated against white and Asian American applicants by using race-conscious programs that benefited applicants from underrepresented backgrounds.

 

The majority opinion, written by Chief Justice John Roberts, said both schools violated the Equal Protection Clause because they lack "measurable objectives warranting the use of race" and "involve racial stereotyping".

 

The court's three liberal justices issued a strong dissent. The decision "rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress", wrote Justice Sonia Sotomayor.

 

The ruling of the divided Supreme Court reflects the stark partisan split of the United States. While Republicans celebrated the end of affirmative action in higher education, Democrats fiercely criticized the court.

 

House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a California Republican, hailed Thursday's decision, saying "no American should be denied educational opportunities because of race". Former president Donald Trump called Thursday a "great day for America".

 

'Giant roadblock'

 

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, called the ruling "a giant roadblock in our country's march toward racial justice".

 

President Joe Biden urged colleges not to abandon their commitment to ensure student bodies of diverse backgrounds.

 

"We cannot let this decision be the last word," Biden said in a White House address. "The court can render a decision, but it cannot change what America stands for."

 

Both Harvard and the University of North Carolina said their admissions policies helped create diverse campus communities.

 

Past Supreme Court decisions allowed universities to consider race as a factor in admissions, saying that schools have an interest in promoting a diverse student body.

 

The Supreme Court became more conservative after Trump appointed three new justices before he left office in January 2021.

 

In response to Thursday's ruling, presidents of many colleges have issued statements affirming their commitment to diversity regardless of the court's decision.

 

"Harvard will continue to be a vibrant community whose members come from all walks of life, all over the world," Harvard President Lawrence Bacow said in a statement.

 

Kenny Xu, a board member of the Students for Fair Admissions, said the judgment will reduce prejudice against Asian American students. "They discriminate against Asians to make room for black Americans," he told CNN.

 

"If you're an Asian American, you had to score 273 points higher on the SAT to have the same chance of admission as a black person at Harvard. Is that fair?"