Judicial Watch announced that it filed a Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against the city of Evanston, Illinois for records about its controversial, taxpayer-funded “reparations” program (Judicial Watch v. City of Evanston (No. 2021 CH 01761)). On March 22, 2021, the Evanston City Council adopted Resolution 37-R27, authorizing the implementation of the Evanston Local Reparations Restorative Housing Program and Program Budget.

The program allocated $10 million to provide $25,000 to Black/African American individuals who are either Evanston residents or direct descendants of Evanston residents to the exclusion of all other residents or direct descendants of residents. Concerned that this program violates the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution as well as other state and federal laws, Judicial Watch opened an investigation into the program and requested information under the Illinois FOIA.