The U.S. federal government asks a judge to halt the country’s first reparations program, currently operating in Evanston, Illinois. Multiple outlets report that the program was launched in 2021 and is aimed at Black residents who were affected by 20th-century housing discrimination. Coverage says the initiative provides payments that include up to about $25,000 per eligible participant, with one report describing a $20 million total allocation for the program. The government’s request comes as part of ongoing litigation challenging the program’s constitutionality. One report states the government’s move is intended to stop implementation while the case proceeds. Another outlet describes the government as joining or aligning with a lawsuit that argues the program is unconstitutional. The reports do not indicate a ruling yet, but they describe the effort as an immediate legal attempt to pause the reparations payments pending the court’s determination.