The U.S. Department of Justice has launched a formal investigation into whether the City of Chicago, under Mayor Brandon Johnson, has engaged in racially discriminatory hiring practices that may violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
In a letter dated May 19 and addressed to Mayor Johnson, the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division announced it is looking into claims that hiring decisions in his administration were based on race. The letter, signed by Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, points to recent public remarks made by the mayor at a church event, where he highlighted several top-level appointments in his administration—emphasizing that many were Black professionals.
Among the roles he mentioned were deputy mayors, a budget director, a chief operations officer, and senior advisors—all identified by Johnson as Black men or women. The Justice Department expressed concern that these hiring choices, and the way they were publicly framed, suggest a pattern of racial preference that may go against federal anti-discrimination laws.
The DOJ’s investigation will determine whether this alleged pattern extends beyond top roles to other positions throughout city government. They clarified that no conclusions have been reached, but the federal government has “reasonable cause” to investigate based on the mayor’s statements.
The Department has also looped in the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), hinting that this probe could evolve into a broader legal review.
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