The status of Michigan's new ban on affirmative-action preferences remained uncertain last week as lawyers fought over whether the measure should be enforced immediately, down the road, or never. Proposal 2, approved by 58 percent of Michigan voters in the November 7 elections, amends the state's Constitution to bar public colleges and other state agencies and institutions from operating programs that grant preferences based on race, ethnicity, or gender. The measure was the target of several legal challenges long before being placed on the ballot, and the legal wrangling has only intensified since its passage. With three lawsuits and a host of motions related to Proposal 2 in play in the federal courts, it may be months, or even longer, before Michigan residents know for certain whether and how the measure will be enforced.