A federal judge ruled Friday that a lawsuit against Evanston’s reparations program will be allowed to proceed.
The suit was brought by six descendants of Evanston residents in May 2024, and alleges that the program’s race-based eligibility requirement violates the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution.
Approved in 2019, Evanston’s reparations program provides grants of up to $25,000 for Black residents who lived in Evanston between 1919 and 1969 or are direct descendants of that group. The suit alleges that the plaintiffs met all the eligibility requirements for the program except for race, which discouraged them from applying.
After the lawsuit was initially filed, attorneys for the city filed a motion to dismiss it, arguing that the plaintiffs were not able to participate because they were not ready to apply for the program before the November 2021 deadline and did not have property in Evanston.
On Friday, U.S. District Judge John F. Kress denied that motion, finding that the plaintiffs did have standing.
Judicial Watch, a conservative legal group, represents the plaintiffs. In a Monday news release, Tom Fitton, the group’s president, wrote that the Constitution “forbids race-based government programs like this.”
“We welcome the court’s decision to allow this historic lawsuit to move forward against this woke, racist program,” he wrote in the news release.
In a statement, city spokesperson Cynthia Vargas said the city was “aware” of the ruling and added that the city would “vehemently defend” the case.
Editor’s note: A previous version of this story had an illustration that mischaracterized Evanston’s reparations program. The images we create and use have power. We acknowledge the harm and discomfort such visuals can and have caused. The Daily regrets this error and is committed to ensuring every aspect of our reporting aligns with the high standards we hold ourselves to as journalists and members of the greater community.
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