Coast Guard Ends Race-Based Preferences for Officer Program

The U.S. Coast Guard has eliminated race-based preferences for college students seeking to commission as officers, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on May 28.

The College Student Pre-Commissioning Initiative (CSPI) previously included preferences for students from institutions meeting specific racial quotas. DHS stated these requirements contradict the Trump Administration's focus on fairness, merit, and eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, while also violating the U.S. Constitution's equal protection requirements.

DHS General Counsel James Percival said, "The Trump Administration is more focused than ever on eliminating unconstitutional DEI policies like this one." He added that racial quotas are a "direct violation of the United States Constitution’s equal protection requirements."

Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division emphasized that "Access to opportunities like the Coast Guard’s pre-commissioning initiative should be based exclusively on merit, not the racial composition of your college." Eliminating such quotas remains a priority for the Justice Department.