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On Tuesday, the Trump administration filed a motion to join a lawsuit attempting to block the U.S.’s first and only reparations program.

The federal government is supporting a 2024 lawsuit by right-wing group Judicial Watch, which argues that the Evanston, Illinois reparations program violates the rights of non-Black residents.

In a court filing on Tuesday, the Department of Justice called the program “racially discriminatory” because it allots benefits based on race.

The program was approved in 2021, and allotted $20 million to Black residents who lived in Evanston between 1919 and 1969 and experienced discriminatory housing policies. Their direct descendants can also apply, as can residents of any race who experienced housing discrimination in the years after 1969, as long as they demonstrate proof of discriminatory practices.

The program offers up to $25,000 per applicant, which can only be used for home repairs, down payments on properties, and interest fees or late penalties on property in Evanston. Since 2021, the city has distributed $7 million to hundreds of residents thus far.

Over 160 Years After Abolition, Anti-Black Racism Still Structures US Economy

Some have criticized the program as having narrow limitations, providing funds that can only go toward local........

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