Should racial demographics be a factor in drawing congressional district maps?

Context

Congressional district maps are redrawn every ten years after the census to reflect population changes, but the process is deeply contested. The core debate centers on whether race should explicitly factor into these maps: civil rights advocates argue that considering racial demographics helps ensure minority communities aren't diluted into powerlessness (a practice called "vote dilution"), while critics worry that race-conscious redistricting amounts to racial gerrymandering. The Supreme Court has repeatedly grappled with this tension, and recent redistricting cycles have reignited fierce disputes over whether demographic data should guide mapmakers seeking to comply with the Voting Rights Act or whether it crosses constitutional lines.