Chicago mayor sues DOJ over DEI restrictions on federal grants program

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson announced Wednesday that the city has filed a federal lawsuit against the Department of Justice (DOJ) over what he called “unlawful” and “illegal” diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) restrictions.

In a press release, Johnson’s office said that the lawsuit centers around a $6.25 million grant under the DOJ’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring Program. 

The mayor’s office is challenging new conditions imposed under the Trump administration that require cities to certify that grant funds will not be used for programs related to DEI initiatives.

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The mayor’s office alleged that the conditions were not authorized by Congress and hold policing funds “hostage to the administration’s political agenda.”

“Chicago will not be intimidated into abandoning our values or compromising our safety,” Johnson said in a statement. 

“Putting the safety of Chicagoans in jeopardy in pursuit of political ends is simply reprehensible. Community policing is fundamental to building a safer city and upholding diversity is an essential part of who we are as a city,” he added. 

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Johnson continued, “We will not back down from that commitment, and we will fight to ensure that we receive every single dollar that is entitled to Chicago. My administration will continue to hold the Trump administration accountable for their attempts to withhold vital public safety resources for Chicagoans.”

Conditions for grant funds also require that cities do not restrict assistance with federal civil immigration enforcement, a topic on which Johnson has frequently attacked President Donald Trump.

Chicago, along with the city of St. Paul, Minnesota, which joined the lawsuit, is asking the court to rule the conditions illegal.

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Fox News Digital reached out to the mayor’s office and the DOJ for comment but did not immediately receive responses.

According to the press release, Johnson has been a part of more than 40 legal actions against the Trump administration.

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Last month, Johnson filed a similar lawsuit against the Trump administration over Department of Homeland Security (DHS) grant conditions that also require cities to certify that they do not have “programs that advance or promote DEI, DEIA, or discriminatory equity ideology.”