City of Chicago sues Department of Justice over DEI restrictions on community policing hiring grant

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The City of Chicago has sued the U.S. Department of Justice over community policing hiring grant restrictions, Mayor Brandon Johnson's office announced Wednesday.

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The lawsuit challenges unlawful DEI conditions on a $6.25 million community policing award.

The City of Saint Paul also joined the federal lawsuit, which was filed Wednesday in the Northern District of Illinois. It "seeks to prevent DOJ from imposing new grant conditions that require cities to certify that they do not operate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs that DOJ deems unlawful and do not restrict assistance with federal civil immigration enforcement."

"Chicago will not be intimidated into abandoning our values or compromising our safety," Mayor 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. 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."

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