On Wednesday, July 15th, 2026, U.S. District Judge John Bates ruled that a high-speed internet grant program enacted during President Biden's administration unconstitutionally prioritized racial minorities in its distribution of funds. The judge's decision cited the Supreme Court's recent ruling that invalidated affirmative action policies in higher education admissions. This ruling aligns with arguments previously made by former President Trump regarding the program's use of race as a determining factor.

The grant program aimed to expand high-speed internet access but was found to have violated constitutional protections by factoring race into its funding decisions. The ruling marks a significant legal development in the ongoing debate over race-conscious policies in federal programs.

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