Conservative Group Targets Native Hawaiian Scholarship Tied to 1988 Law
A federal lawsuit is targeting a decades-old healthcare scholarship program in Hawaii, raising new questions about Native Hawaiian protections and U.S. law.
According to The Guardian, the group Do No Harm filed suit against the Native Hawaiian Health Scholarship Program, arguing its ancestry requirement is unconstitutional racial discrimination. The program funds Native Hawaiian students in medical fields in exchange for serving underserved communities across the islands.
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Supporters say the challenge ignores Hawaii’s unique history and ongoing healthcare gaps affecting Native Hawaiians. Critics argue the program excludes qualified applicants based solely on ancestry.
The case lands amid a broader wave of legal attacks on diversity-based programs nationwide, including past lawsuits involving Hawaiian institutions like Kamehameha Schools.
At the center is a deeper conflict: whether Native Hawaiian programs are racial preferences or tied to Indigenous status shaped by Hawaii’s history before U.S. annexation.
The lawsuit is pending, with potential national implications.
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