Nationwide — The Trump administration has moved to join a federal lawsuit seeking to shut down a housing reparations program in Evanston, Illinois, for African Americans, arguing that it unlawfully distributes public benefits based on race.
The program, launched in 2021, was created to address the impact of decades of housing discrimination against Black residents in the city of Evanston. Eligible participants can receive up to $25,000 in cash assistance or housing-related benefits funded primarily through local tax revenue from legal marijuana sales.
On June 16, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a motion to intervene in the ongoing case. Federal officials contend that the program violates the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment because it limits benefits to Black residents and their descendants while excluding people of other racial backgrounds who may have also experienced housing discrimination.
The DOJ further argues that the initiative violates the Fair Housing Act. According to federal attorneys, applicants do not have to demonstrate that they or their family members were personally harmed by discriminatory housing policies. Instead, eligibility is tied largely to race, ancestry, and historical connections to the city.
According to Atlanta Black Star, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon said governments have legal avenues to address past discrimination but argued that race-based payments are unconstitutional. U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros similarly said public funds should not be distributed based on race or ancestry.
The challenge comes as a broader legal battle over the program continues. A federal judge declined to dismiss the lawsuit in March 2026, allowing the case to move forward. The Trump administration also opened an investigation into the program that month and later claimed city officials failed to provide the requested documents.
The original lawsuit was filed in 2024 by six non-Black residents who say they were excluded from a program that has earmarked up to $20 million for Black applicants. They are seeking compensation and asking the court to halt the program or change its eligibility requirements.
Supporters of the initiative maintain that it serves a specific purpose. Robin Rue Simmons, the former Evanston alderperson who helped lead the reparations effort, said the federal government’s involvement is part of a larger attempt to undermine reparative justice programs across the country. She argued that Evanston’s initiative was designed to address harm caused by the city’s own housing policies, which she said prevented many Black families from building generational wealth.
Despite the legal challenge, city leaders remain committed to defending the program. Mayor Daniel Bliss said Evanston believes the initiative is constitutional and will continue to fight for it in court.