Chicago Police Accused of Illegal Race-Based Hiring — New Civil Rights Complaint Explodes Nationwide
A civil rights complaint has been filed against the Chicago Police Department, accusing the agency of using race-based hiring policies intended to address what city officials describe as “systemic inequities.”
Advocates of diversity, equity and inclusion programs continue to promote such initiatives in heavily Democratic cities like Chicago, despite opposition from President Donald Trump and recent Supreme Court rulings.
The complaint, filed Tuesday by America First Legal, alleges the CPD is applying racial considerations in both hiring and internal decision-making.
Fox News obtained the filing, which targets the Office of Equity and Racial Justice under Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. The office is responsible for creating and maintaining “racial equity action plans,” and similar programs operate throughout city government.
AFL attorney Alice Kass wrote in the complaint that “Chicago is hiding discriminatory actions behind the label of ‘racial equity,’ directly ignoring federal civil rights laws and Executive Orders issued by President Donald J. Trump.” She continued by stating that city officials have embedded equity policies across agencies, including CPD, where race influences recruitment, hiring, promotions and retention.
CPD’s plan, according to Fox News, seeks to “improve equitable outcomes, reduce racial disparities, and achieve racial equity and inclusion” by promoting diversity and fairness both within the department and in its work with the community.
The CPD website states its mission is to address “systemic inequities that disproportionately affect marginalized racial and ethnic communities.”
The department’s official documents define equity as a focus on the historical and current use of race to unfairly determine opportunity and access to resources. The definition states that advancing racial equity requires analyzing and dismantling systems that produce inequitable results and replacing them with structures that promote inclusion.
America First Legal argues that these policies violate the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The legal conflict extends beyond this single complaint. Mayor Johnson has already filed lawsuits against Trump’s Department of Justice regarding rules prohibiting federal grant funds from being used for DEI initiatives. Another similar case was filed in October against the Department of Homeland Security.
Law firm Wilmer Hale notes that the Supreme Court ruled in Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services that plaintiffs claiming discrimination under Title VII cannot be required to meet a higher burden of proof simply because they belong to a majority group.
AFL’s filing cites both Title VII and Title VI, asserting that Chicago violated each by using explicit race-based criteria.
On January 22, President Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to end “radical DEI preferencing” in federal contracting and to increase enforcement against discrimination in the private sector.
With the Supreme Court and the Trump administration rejecting DEI-based policies, Chicago may face serious obstacles in continuing its current approach. AFL says it has identified similar practices in cities such as Seattle and Portland.
Chicago remains one of the nation’s most dangerous cities, and critics argue that race-based hiring does nothing to improve public safety.
According to opponents, DEI policies not only disadvantage qualified applicants who are rejected because of race but also fail to give residents the competent policing they need.