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(The Hill) — The Education Department announced Wednesday it is ceasing discretionary funding to various grant programs for Minority-Serving Institutions (MSI).

The funding violated the law, according to the Trump administration, because it goes to institutions that “meet racial or ethnic quotas.” 

“Discrimination based upon race or ethnicity has no place in the United States,” stated Education Secretary Linda McMahon. “To further our commitment to ending discrimination in all forms across federally supported programs, the Department will no longer award Minority-Serving Institution grants that discriminate by limiting eligibility to institutions meeting government-imposed racial quotas.”

“Diversity is not merely the presence of a skin color. Stereotyping an individual based on immutable characteristics diminishes the full picture of that person’s life and contributions, including their character, resiliency, and merit,” she elaborated. “The Department looks forward to collaborating with Congress to redesign these programs to support institutions serving underprepared or under-resourced students without depending on race quotas and will continue advocating to ensure students are assessed as individuals, not pre-judged by their membership in a racial group.”

The administration did not specify where the $350 million in discretionary funds expected for these programs will go. 

The press release states, “The Department looks forward to working with Congress to reenvision these programs to support underprepared or under-resourced students without relying on race and ethnic quotas.”

The department said it is also examining the “underlying legal issues” with mandatory funding that is dedicated to these institutions.