The city of Evanston, Illinois, is facing a lawsuit from conservative activists over its plans to offer reparations to Black residents, reports Fox News.

“Defendant [Evanston], acting under color of law, is depriving Plaintiffs of their right to equal protection by purposefully and intentionally discriminating against Plaintiffs on the basis of race. Defendant’s use of race as an eligibility requirement injures Plaintiffs because it is a barrier that prevents Plaintiffs from participating in and obtaining payments under the program on an equal footing with persons who are able to satisfy Defendant’s race requirement,” a lawsuit filed by Judicial Watch reads.

It added, “Plaintiffs also are injured by Defendant’s use of race as an eligibility requirement because, but for the requirement, Plaintiffs would each be eligible for and in line to receive $25,000 under the program.”

The city had allocated $20 million to the program and planned this year to pay 80 direct descendants of residents who were subjected to housing discrimination.

“The Evanston, Illinois’ ‘reparations’ program is nothing more than a ploy to redistribute tax dollars to individuals based on race,” Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said. “This scheme unconstitutionally discriminates against anyone who does not identify as Black or African American. This class action, civil rights lawsuit will be a historic defense of our color-blind Constitution.”

Cynthia Vargas, the communications manager for Evanston, said the city “will vehemently defend any lawsuit brought against our city’s reparations program.”

“The city of Evanston does not comment on the specifics of pending litigation,” Vargas said.

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