ISTANBUL

The US Justice Department announced Tuesday it has settled litigation challenging race-based admissions at West Point and the Air Force military academies, permanently ending such practices at the institutions.

The settlement dismisses two lawsuits filed by Students for Fair Admissions, which challenged the academies' admissions policies as unconstitutional.

Attorney General Pamela Bondi emphasized the administration's commitment to "eliminating DEI (Diversity, equity, and inclusion) practices throughout the federal government."

She said admission to the prestigious military institutions "should be based exclusively on merit."

US Attorney Jay Clayton for the Southern District of New York said the agreement ensures "our future military leaders will carry on the greatness that is born of opportunity, effort, and a level playing field."

In April, the US administration announced that these two academies would no longer consider race when making admissions decisions.

The Justice Department resolved similar litigation against the US Naval Academy earlier this year, securing commitments to permanently end race-based admissions practices.

All three service academies have now agreed to base admissions exclusively on merit rather than race or ethnicity.