The U.S. Department of Justice has asked a judge to halt a reparations program in Evanston, Illinois, that provides $25,000 to Black residents who suffered from housing discrimination between 1919 and 1969.

Program Details

The program, launched in 2021, has already distributed over $7 million to hundreds of people. The city used revenue from a local tax on legal marijuana sales to fund the program.

The Justice Department claims that the program is racially discriminatory and violates the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon stated that there are sound ways for a city to remedy past discrimination, but handing out money based on race is not the answer.

Reparations Debate

Reparations have been a hot-button issue in the United States, with some arguing that it is a necessary step to address the country’s history of racial subjugation. Others argue that it is unfair to provide benefits based on race.

The city of Evanston has set a precedent with its reparations program, and it has sparked a national debate on the issue. The program’s pioneer, Robin Rue Simmons, said that the lawsuit and the federal government’s support is a fear tactic aimed at dissuading other governments from pursuing similar programs.

Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.