Federal Officials Challenge Local Reparations Programs

Local efforts to provide financial redress to Black residents are facing a new legal threat from the federal government. The Justice Department is intervening in a lawsuit against a housing grant program in Evanston, Illinois, which offers $25,000 to Black residents whose families were harmed by discriminatory housing policies. The department argues that the program violates the 14th Amendment's equal protection clause and the Fair Housing Act. A federal judge recently allowed the department to join the case, which was originally brought by the group Judicial Watch. This move is part of a broader administration campaign against diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

The federal government's opposition to race-based programs stands in contrast to recent international sentiment. In March, the U.N. General Assembly passed a resolution describing the trafficking of enslaved Africans as "the gravest crime against humanity" and calling for reparations. The measure received backing from more than 120 countries, while the U.S., Argentina, and Israel voted against it. Fifty-two other nations, including England and the 27 European Union member states, abstained from the vote.

The debate over reparations is rooted in the history of slavery, which ended in 1865 after the trans-Atlantic trade brought an estimated 12.5 million Africans to the Americas. Historians note that Jim Crow segregation and systemic racism subsequently limited Black Americans' ability to build wealth, a disparity that persists today. William Darity, an author on the subject, said no president has ever supported comprehensive Black reparations. "Now, Trump will speak the word, but with hostility," he said.

The administration's stance has created significant barriers for advocates. Robin Rue Simmons, who chairs Evanston's Reparations Committee, acknowledged the challenges while affirming her commitment to federal-level solutions. "Under this administration, of course, there are many barriers to achieving that, but we still stand on federal redress as our collective north star," she said. In a September speech, President Donald Trump told supporters that money for reparations is "going nowhere." The Justice Department has also sent warning letters to leaders in Asheville and Buncombe County, North Carolina, concerning their own proposed programs.

The pressure has extended to universities. Harvard University terminated a team that had identified nearly 500 living descendants of people enslaved by its past leaders shortly after a January 2025 executive order from the president. While Georgetown University continues to offer admission consideration to descendants of enslaved people, Richard Cellini, who previously led the Harvard project, said new work across higher education has stalled. Kirt von Daacke, a University of Virginia historian, said he has not seen any new scholarship programs since Trump returned to office.

Despite the political and legal opposition, some programs continue to operate. Juan Woolfolk, a Georgetown descendant, is using a $10,000 scholarship for his studies. Virginia Theological Seminary provides annual cash payments to descendants from an endowment. In Evanston, recipient Joe Martin, a flight attendant, expressed frustration that when a legitimate program is created, "the government's like, naw." The legal fight over the Evanston program and other local initiatives is ongoing.