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Illinois city slapped with lawsuit over 'unconstitutional' reparations plan: 'Using race as a proxy'

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Illinois city slapped with lawsuit over 'unconstitutional' reparations plan: 'Using race as a proxy'

Some residents of Evanston, Illinois, are suing their city for doling out reparation payments in what they call an “unconstitutional” program.

The Illinois city made history in 2019 by becoming the first in the nation to create a government-funded reparations program for current and former Black residents. In 2021, the Evanston City Council voted 8-1 to approve a reparations plan that would provide $25,000 for qualifying Black residents to address harms caused by a pattern of housing discrimination and segregation that existed between 1919 and 1969.

Six non-Black residents attacked this since-implemented program for being “presumptively unconstitutional” based on its racial requirement.

Some Evanston citizens are accusing a reparations program of violating the Equal Protection clause by favoring Black residents. (Photo by Manny Ceneta/Getty Images)

“Defendant [Evanston], acting under color of law, is depriving Plaintiffs of their right to equal protection by purposefully and intentionally discriminating against Plaintiffs on the basis of race. Defendant’s use of race as an eligibility requirement injures Plaintiffs because it is a barrier that prevents Plaintiffs from participating in and obtaining payments under the program on an equal footing with persons who are able to satisfy Defendant’s race requirement,” the lawsuit read.

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‘WE’VE PROVEN’ REPARATIONS CAN WORK, EVANSTON ACTIVIST SAYS: ‘CITY HASN’T BLOWN UP’

It added, “Plaintiffs also are injured by Defendant’s use of race as an eligibility requirement because, but for the requirement, Plaintiffs would each be eligible for and in line to receive $25,000 under the program.”

The lawsuit seeks $25,000 payments to all eligible applicants regardless of race. (iStock)

The lawsuit also called the program “overinclusive,” as some groups eligible for payment were not required to provide evidence that they or their ancestors experienced housing discrimination and segregation. The city, the plaintiffs claim, is “using race as a proxy for having experienced discrimination during this time period.”

“Plaintiffs are being irreparably harmed by Defendant’s deprivation of their rights to equal protection and will continue to be irreparably harmed unless Defendant’s use of race as an eligibility requirement for the program is declared unconstitutional and enjoined,” the lawsuit claimed.

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Evanston committed $10 million to the program and pledged another $10 million to the program in 2022. According to city records cited by the lawsuit, the city approved 454 “direct descendant” applications and plans to pay at least 80 applicants in 2024. 129 “ancestor” applications, people who lived in Evanston between 1919 and 1969, have already received payments.

REPARATIONS IN AMERICA: HOW CITIES FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO WILMINGTON ARE TRYING TO GET IT DONE

Plaintiffs are calling for Evanston to remove race as an eligibility requirement and award all eligible applicants, including non-Black citizens, the $25,000 promised in the program.

Evanston launched a committee to distribute reparations in 2019. (Ira L. Black/Corbis via Getty Images)

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Communications and Engagement Manager Cynthia Vargas said, “The City of Evanston does not comment on the specifics of pending litigation, but we will vehemently defend any lawsuit brought against our city’s reparations program.”

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Fox News’ Kendall Tietz contributed to this report.

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Midwest

FBI director warns media not to ‘cement false narrative’ as agencies probe Minnesota violence

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FBI director warns media not to ‘cement false narrative’ as agencies probe Minnesota violence

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FBI Director Kash Patel urged calm and caution as investigations into incidents involving federal agents play out in Minnesota.

“Do not let the media cement a false narrative. Let these investigations run its course,” Patel said on “Hannity” Monday.

“Let us do our job with our inter-agency and state and local partners, and let’s all take a breath and calm down the situation, because when investigations like this are run properly, like we’ve done under President Trump’s leadership, that’s the only way you can drop the murder rate 20 points.”

FBI Director Kash Patel called for calm amid high-profile investigations into alleged crimes in Minnesota. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

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Patel’s comments came as the Department of Homeland Security probes two killings involving ICE and Border Patrol agents in Minnesota.

Patel also addressed the FBI’s inquiry into a chat group on the Signal app that allegedly shares information about ICE agents’ movements.

ICE REJECTS ‘FALSE NARRATIVE’ ABOUT FAMILY SEPARATION, ASSERTS MINNESOTA CHURCH RIOTERS WERE NOT PEACEFUL

“Only if you incite violence or threaten to do harm to law enforcement officials and break the law in any other way does it become an investigatory matter. So this Signal chat is something that we, the FBI, are looking at,” he said.

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Patel insisted his agency isn’t targeting peaceful protesters, freedom of speech or the right to bear arms.

Scenes of vandalism in the northeast section of Minneapolis on Jan. 14, 2026. (Jamie Vera/Fox News)

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He added that the bureau arrested four people involved in stealing sensitive information from an FBI vehicle after vandalizing it, claiming the information was used to “threaten the lives of federal agents, [and their] wives and children.”

Patel then noted that the FBI “led the charge to arrest those involved with violating the FACE Act” after anti-ICE protesters stormed a Minnesota church, stating that such a violation amounts to a federal charge.

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Detroit, MI

Man faces multiple charges after Roseville officer shot

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Man faces multiple charges after Roseville officer shot




Man faces multiple charges after Roseville officer shot – CBS Detroit

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A Metro Detroit man is facing 15 charges — 14 of them felonies — after a Roseville officer was shot during a standoff last week.

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Milwaukee, WI

Milwaukee Brewers bring Frozen Sausage Tour to school

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Milwaukee Brewers bring Frozen Sausage Tour to school


At MacDowell Montessori School in Milwaukee, the genuine excitement from these young students was palpable.

A winter surprise

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What we know:

That’s because the Milwaukee Brewers and their Famous Racing Sausages stopped by as part of the team’s “Frozen Sausage Tour.”

“Recognizing and acknowledging the importance of education, together with celebrating our Brewers fans across the entire state just gets us out in the winter and allows us to say thank you and to remind kids that we know it’s the depths of winter, but baseball is coming and to bring them a little touch of the Milwaukee Brewers,” said Marti Wronski, Brewers Chief Operating Officer. 

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And who better to represent the Brewers than infielder Caleb Durbin and pitcher Chad Patrick.

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The duo spent time talking to the student beforehand. They had one main message in mind and that was the importance of education.

“They just see us on the field and there’s a lot more to us than just being an athlete,” said Brewers infielder Caleb Durbin. “We went through the whole school system, some of us up through college and that was a big part of our life that I don’t think a lot of, definitely a lot of kids don’t really realize that we’re in their same position at one point.”

“It’s cool just to you know, give back and let these kids know you know, that your teachers are important,” said Brewers pitcher Chad Patrick. “School is important and just be respectful to them.”

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Learning never stops

What they’re saying:

The pair reminded the students that they are no different from them. After all, even as professional baseball players, they’re still learning everyday from Brewers manager Pat Murphy.

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“When you have one of the best teachers in the world kind of helping you with your craft, it gives you confidence,” said Durbin. “We feel like Murph prepares us better than anyone else that can do the job. There’s a lot of confidence going into the offseason that he’s got our back.”

“We’re just students of the game,” said Patrick. “You know, we’re learning everyday and whether you’re stepping in his office and he’s giving you a lot of advice, or whether it’s you know, the other coaches around us, giving us advice too, we’re always winning.”

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Honoring educators

Big picture view:

To further emphasize the importance of rewarding educators, the Brewers honored teacher Heidi Henriques, who received the Grand Slam Teacher Award.

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MacDowell Montessori School also received a $1,000 check from the team. 

To add to the excitement, the Brewers’ Famous Racing Sausages finished the day with a race around the gym. 

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“The Brewers take every one of these moments to heart and we hope that we get to share a little something special that might stick with some of the kids,” said Wronski.

The Brewers also made stops in Green Bay and Madison.

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The Source: The information in this post was collected and produced by the FOX6 sports team.

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