ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) – This week on Empire State Weekly, two major rulings from the Supreme Court are now impacting both college students and graduates across the nation. The Court ruled to strike down both affirmative action and student loan debt forgiveness.
Vincent Bonventre, a legal scholar and professor at Albany Law School explained the 6 to 3 decision means colleges won't be able to consider race when reviewing new student applications. He explained the state will not be able to get around this law with state laws like it has with other SCOTUS rulings.
"With regard to affirmative action the United States Supreme Court said that racial preferences... Any distinctions on the basis of race by government or government subsidized programs violates the federal constitution so New York cannot say well under our laws we allow racial preferences," Said Bonventre.
Also this week, Cianna Freeman-Tolbert, a lawyer with Whiteman Osterman & Hanna discussed the situation faced by asylum seekers arriving in New York from the southern boarder. She explained the situation at the boarder has largely slowed down as new migrants are likely awaiting further developments. She said communication needs to improve between leaders and nonprofit supports.
"I think there could be more communication between the city and upstate New York, and when you're moving people to upstate New York, there needs to be more coordination, and that's what I keep hearing with the nonprofits with their frustration with resettlement, is that there's not enough communication between various parties."
To see that interview and more, here is a list of how you can watch Empire State Weekly in your area of New York:
