Federal Judge Orders Minority Business Agency to Serve All Races

A federal judge in Texas ruled that the Minority Business Development Agency must offer its services to people of all races and ethnic groups, not just minority-owned businesses, after two white business owners sued the agency for discrimination. The judge found that the agency's practice violated the 14th Amendment's guarantee of equal protection under the law and permanently barred it from serving only members of minority groups. This ruling is part of a trend of court decisions eroding federal affirmative-action mandates, including a Supreme Court ruling last June that affected race-conscious college admissions programs.