Judge rules Biden-era internet grant program unconstitutionally prioritized racial minorities

A federal judge has ruled that a high-speed internet grant program established under the Biden administration is unconstitutional. The decision centers on the use of race as a specific factor in determining how government funds were allocated. U.S. District Judge John Bates cited the Supreme Court decision regarding affirmative action in higher education to explain his reasoning.

The program, which was part of a 2021 infrastructure package, was intended to expand digital access across the country. However, the court found that the government requirement to consider race when deciding which projects to fund did not meet the necessary legal standards for race-based action.

President Trump has previously criticized the grant program and called it unconstitutional. His administration has already taken steps to stop the use of the racial criteria, and the Justice Department confirmed it will not defend the program as it was originally written. The government plans to move forward with the funding without the disputed racial requirements.

The National Digital Inclusion Alliance, a group that had its funding canceled after the administration moved to halt the program, is currently in a difficult position. Judge Bates indicated that while the grant program may continue under new terms, the legal challenges regarding how these decisions were managed are still active. This ruling marks a significant development in the ongoing efforts to remove specific diversity initiatives from federal programs.