CHICAGO — The showdown between metropolis and federal leaders continues to drive its manner in entrance of judges as Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration joined one other lawsuit Monday difficult necessities for emergency prevention funding.
The lawsuit stems from new circumstances for “Emergency Administration Efficiency” grants from the Division of Homeland Safety requiring that recipients decide to not spending the cash on “any applications that advance or promote DEI [Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion].”
That might depart town — which has drawn a tough line on federal threats to range applications — out of $10 million subsequent 12 months, mayoral spokesman Cassio Mendoza stated.
The cash from Homeland Safety is often used to “practice first responders, modernize emergency choices facilities, construct public alert programs and buy hazmat fits,” in line with metropolis officers.
It’s additionally helped cities fund “myriad counterterrorism” applications, in line with lawsuit, which incorporates Chicago as a plaintiff together with Baltimore, Denver, Minneapolis, St. Paul, New York and New Haven, Connecticut.
“[T]he Government Department has now decided to make use of this vital federal funding as a cudgel, threatening to hamstring native governments’ emergency-management capabilities except they acquiesce to unrelated Government home coverage objectives,” in line with the 70-page criticism.
In Could, the Division of Justice launched an investigation into Chicago hiring practices days after Johnson stated he had employed “essentially the most various administration within the historical past of Chicago.”
Trump officers have regularly cited range applications, labeling them as “woke,” when threatening to withhold funding from universities and Democratic-led cities — together with over $2 billion for the CTA’s Crimson Line extension plan.
The most recent lawsuit in opposition to Trump’s Division of Homeland Safety asserts the anti-diversity circumstances undermine Congress’ “energy of the purse” and threaten the safety of cities, that are “collectively answerable for the security and well-being of hundreds of thousands of individuals.”
The Division of Homeland Safety didn’t instantly return a request for remark.
The town has filed eight lawsuits in opposition to the second Trump administration, in line with Kristen Cabanban, a spokesperson for town’s Division of Legislation. Most notable amongst them is one which has thus far blocked Trump from sending federalized Nationwide Guard troops into Chicago.
“We undoubtedly have discovered success within the courts to place the stress we’ve,” Rebecca A. Hirsch, a metropolis legal professional, advised Block Membership Monday.
In June and July, a federal district courtroom quickly blocked the U.S. Division of Transportation and the U.S. Division of Well being and Human Providers from requiring that grant recipients commit in opposition to operating range applications, Cabanban stated.
Final week, the Chicago Housing Authority, a metropolis sister company, introduced a lawsuit in opposition to the U.S. Division of Housing and City Growth over $185 million in grant funding it additionally tied to reducing range applications.
Cuts to the federal workforce underneath the Trump administration have disproportionately impacted Black workers, in line with the New York Instances.
“Chicago will all the time uphold the significance of our range,” Johnson stated in a press release. “Guaranteeing that each one Chicagoans have a possibility to succeed shouldn’t be discrimination; it’s simply fundamental equity.”
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