Evanston's Reparations Program Faces Discrimination Lawsuit

A conservative activist group, Judicial Watch, has filed a class action lawsuit against Evanston, Illinois' reparations program, claiming it is unconstitutional for basing eligibility on race. The program, which began in 2021, aims to compensate Black residents affected by historical discriminatory zoning practices. Judicial Watch argues that the program violates the equal protection clause and seeks $25,000 in damages for non-Black plaintiffs who meet all criteria except race. Evanston officials plan to defend the program, which has already provided payments to eligible Black residents.