The federal government asks a judge to halt the United States’ first reparations program, centered on Evanston, Illinois, according to multiple outlets. The program, launched in 2021, provides payments to Black residents in Evanston who can qualify under eligibility rules tied to historical, race-based housing discrimination. Outlets describe the payments as totaling about $25,000 per participant, with other reporting citing $20 million allocated for the effort.
The request comes while the program is already facing legal challenges. The government’s motion is made in connection with an existing lawsuit that argues the program is unconstitutional. Reporting indicates the federal government is seeking an order that would temporarily stop implementation of the reparations payments while the court considers the claims.
Sources also characterize the Evanston program as the first and only one of its kind in the United States, emphasizing that it is still in the early stages of legal scrutiny after beginning in 2021.
