Minority College Admission Preferences Controversy: Will It Become a US Election Factor? "Majority Support It"

More than half of Americans support the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling that the affirmative action policy favoring minority groups in college admissions is unconstitutional.

This ruling, which came from a conservative-dominated court where six of the nine justices (including the Chief Justice) were appointed during former President Donald Trump's administration, has sparked controversy as an unexpected decision and is drawing attention as a potential major factor in next year's presidential election.

According to a survey conducted by ABC News and polling firm Ipsos from May 30 to June 1 (local time) involving 937 adults, 52% of respondents said they support the Supreme Court's unconstitutional ruling announced on June 2. Those opposing the ruling accounted for 32%, while 16% were unsure.

Regarding the racial impact in college admissions, 9% of respondents said white students are unfairly disadvantaged due to racial issues. This figure was 36% for Black students and 37% for Hispanic students.

The percentage of respondents who believe Asian American students are unfairly disadvantaged due to racial issues was 22%. The proportion who said Asian American students have a "fair chance" was 65%, similar to the 67% for white students.

More respondents viewed the recent Supreme Court decision as ideologically biased. Only 33% said the justices "rule according to the law," while 53% believed the justices "rule based on their political views." This latter figure is 10 percentage points higher than the 43% recorded in a similar survey conducted by the same firm in January last year.

Earlier, on May 29, the Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional the affirmative action admissions policies at the University of North Carolina and Harvard University, which were challenged by the group Students for Fair Admissions for discriminating against white and Asian American applicants. The rulings were 6-3 and 6-2, respectively.

On the 29th (local time), in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington DC, citizens advocating for the abolition of affirmative action policies for minorities and those supporting their continuation gathered together to protest.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

The minority preference admissions policy in college admissions was established in 1961 under an executive order by then-President John F. Kennedy, during a time of active Black civil rights movements in the U.S. The order mandated that "government agencies must take affirmative actions to ensure employment regardless of applicants' race, beliefs, skin color, or country of origin."

As the affirmative action policy, regarded as a landmark achievement of the civil rights movement, disappears into history, it is causing significant ripple effects not only in the U.S. college admissions system but also across society. President Joe Biden criticized the ruling as "a measure that reverses decades of precedent and important progress."

Meanwhile, since the ruling came from a Supreme Court with a strong conservative majority, it is drawing attention as a potential major factor in next year's presidential election by intensifying racial and ideological conflicts. Previously, the Supreme Court's decision to overturn abortion rights just before the November 2022 U.S. midterm elections was widely regarded as having a significant impact.

During the Trump administration, conservative-leaning justices were appointed one after another, reshaping the Supreme Court into a clear 6-3 conservative majority. The backlash from women and progressives over the overturning of abortion rights led to a consolidation of their votes, enabling the Democratic Party, which was expected to suffer a major defeat, to maintain its majority in the Senate and perform relatively well.

On the other hand, the Republican Party struggled more than expected, and former President Trump faced criticism both inside and outside the party for the poor midterm election results.

Some argue that the recent ruling declaring affirmative action unconstitutional could similarly mobilize Black and Hispanic voters, who are likely to be the most affected groups. In U.S. politics, the Democratic Party, which traditionally enjoys support from Black and Hispanic communities, and the Republican Party, which has higher support among white voters, appear to be expanding the affirmative action ruling into a new front in next year's presidential election.

However, unlike the abortion rights ruling, which potentially affects nearly all female voters in the U.S., the affirmative action policy has historically divided opinion, so some analysts predict that the political impact may not be as significant.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.