Judge Lets Challenge to Evanston’s Reparations Program Proceed

Overview

• A federal judge denied Evanston’s bid to dismiss a class-action suit over its reparations program, allowing the case to continue.
• The judge said the white plaintiffs have standing because applying to a program restricted by race would have been futile.
• The court flagged unresolved disputes over eligibility rules and whether applications closed, which will be addressed through discovery.
• Evanston’s program pays $25,000 to Black residents and descendants tied to 1919–1969; Fox News and Judicial Watch report 137 recipients and $3.47 million paid, though other outlets cite different totals.
• The city said it will vigorously defend the policy, while the lawsuit seeks a ruling that the program violates the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause.