Overview

• The Department of Justice has launched a civil rights investigation into whether Chicago's hiring practices violate Title VII's prohibition on race-based discrimination.
• The inquiry follows Mayor Brandon Johnson's comments highlighting the racial diversity of his administration during a Sunday speech at a Woodlawn church.
• Mayor Johnson has strongly defended his administration's diversity, describing it as reflective of Chicago's demographics, and criticized President Trump as being hostile to inclusion.
• Chicago Corporation Counsel Mary Richardson-Lowry stated the city has not received formal notice of the investigation and first learned of the DOJ letter through social media.
• The DOJ has requested a meeting with the mayor's office to begin its review, and city officials plan to respond after receiving official notification.