Supreme Court rules in favor of Native American tribes in adoption dispute.

The US Supreme Court has rejected a challenge to the Indian Child Welfare Act, which was enacted in 1978 to keep Native American children within tribes. The law gives preference to Native Americans seeking to foster or adopt Native American children. The court ruled that the challengers did not have legal standing to contest whether the preference provisions violated the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment by discriminating on the basis of race. The ruling will come as a major relief to tribes, who were concerned that the court would weaken or entirely strike down a law that plays an important role in maintaining tribal identity.