The Supreme Court, in a recent decision called Allen v. Milligan (2026), cited the Constitution as being "colorblind," marking the first time the court officially endorsed this principle. This follows actions taken by the Trump administration and specifically by the U.S. Department of Agriculture under Secretary Brooke Rollins, who has canceled over 1,000 employee trainings focused on divisive or discriminatory concepts and terminated over 145 awards worth up to $148.6 million that used race as a basis for preference or disfavor. The USDA also rescinded disparate impact regulations that would hold organizations liable for statistical disparities without evidence of intent to discriminate, aligning with the principle of treating individuals without regard to their race or color.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-17,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
This 250th year of American independence has given us much to celebrate.
asserted
year → give → much
We have honored the courageous signing of the Declaration of Independence and reflected on how its principles unleashed a degree of prosperity unmatched in human history.
asserted
principles → honor → history
Each and every day, the Trump administration has built on this legacy of freedom in unprecedented ways, from policy achievements to cultural events around our capital.
asserted
administration → build → capital
Understandably, this year’s historic fireworks, literally and figuratively, may have caused some to overlook one of the more significant causes for celebration.
uncertain
some → cause → celebration
As of this summer, the Supreme Court and the Trump administration agree that you should be treated as an individual without regard to your race or color.
asserted
you → agree → race
In Allen v. Milligan (2026), the Supreme Court for the first time issued a decision citing “our colorblind Constitution.”
asserted
Court → issue → Constitution
The phrase has been quoted numerous times since across the Trump administration, but the principle behind it has guided the U.S. Department of Agriculture since Day One.
asserted
principle → quote → Day
And the principle has deep roots.
asserted
principle → have → roots
Justice John Marshall Harlan was the first jurist to claim we have a colorblind Constitution.
uncertain
we → claim → Constitution
In his lone dissenting opinion in Plessy v. Ferguson in 1896, he insisted the Constitution neither knows nor tolerates classes among citizens.
asserted
Constitution → dissent → citizens
His position was that the Constitution did not permit racial segregation under the “separate but equal” doctrine.
asserted
Constitution → permit → doctrine
Generations later, the civil rights movement fought for the colorblind principle.
asserted
movement → fight → principle
It took until this year for the Supreme Court to state it in its own words.
asserted
Court → take → words
But this administration has carried out that principle at the USDA all along.
asserted
administration → carry → USDA
It started with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins canceling nearly 1,000 problematic employee trainings, more than 750 of them focused on divisive or discriminatory DEI concepts.
asserted
750 → start → concepts
Separately, in June 2025, the USDA terminated more than 145 awards worth as much as $148.6 million that had used race as the basis of preference or disfavor.
asserted
that → terminate → preference
One of those awards required limiting free produce distributions based on the race of the requesting family.
asserted
One → require → family
Additionally, under previous departmental regulations, USDA-funded organizations could be held liable for discrimination solely on the basis of statistics outside their control, without any evidence of intent to discriminate.
uncertain
organizations → fund → intent
The message to these organizations was essentially to “get their numbers right” by taking actions that would, for example, balance the racial composition of their workforce.
asserted
that → get → workforce
This concept, known as “disparate impact liability,” twisted our laws guaranteeing equal treatment into regulations that pushed organizations toward racial quotas to avoid scrutiny.
asserted
that → know → scrutiny
However, it is impossible to be true to our colorblind Constitution while promoting racial balancing.
asserted
it → promote → balancing
That’s why we recently rescinded all of our disparate impact regulations related to our program activities at the USDA.
asserted
we → ’ → USDA
We have continued to combat unlawful discrimination wherever we find it.
asserted
we → continue → it
The USDA civil rights staff has conducted over 1,000 investigations of alleged discrimination in USDA programs in fiscal 2026 alone.
asserted
staff → conduct → 2026
We have reformed multiple regulations that gave racial preference under the code words “socially disadvantaged.”
asserted
that → reform → words
And programs from farm loan guarantees to conservation grants no longer ask what a person looks like before deciding whether they are eligible.
asserted
they → ask → what
Perhaps our most enduring activity in support of our colorblind Constitution is a first-of-its-kind effort we call the Merit-Based Opportunity Commission.
asserted
we → call → kind
The USDA assembled subject-matter experts from every staff office and mission area to examine their policies for instances where people were judged by their demographics.
asserted
people → assemble → demographics
With an enterprise-wide mandate, the commission has combed through thousands of guidance documents and regulations, grants and other awards, employment practices, webpages, and operations manuals.
asserted
commission → comb → documents
Wherever any remaining discriminatory practices or policies are found, we eliminate them and replace them with standards of merit and equal opportunity.
asserted
we → remain → merit
No office is exempt, and no policy is left unexamined.
asserted
policy → leave → ?
The USDA serves millions of people through the work of nearly 100,000 devoted employees.
asserted
USDA → serve → employees
Programs such as rural housing, farm equipment loans, and nutrition assistance can mean the difference between a hungry, impoverished America and one with thriving families and a growing economy.
asserted
Programs → mean → families
The USDA is dedicated to serving every American regardless of race or color so that everyone can prosper, not just some.
asserted
everyone → dedicate → race
The Supreme Court moved the country closer to that ideal this year by declaring that our Constitution is colorblind.
asserted
Constitution → move → ideal
Since January 2025, the USDA has been carrying out that vision through sustained action.
asserted
USDA → carry → action
We commit on this Constitution Day to continue this work in honor of the colorblind vision of our founding document.
asserted
We → commit → document
The Aporia
