In a major escalation of tensions between the federal government and one of America’s largest cities, the Trump administration has launched an investigation into the City of Chicago after Mayor Brandon Johnson publicly celebrated hiring practices based on race.
The move, announced Monday by Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, will probe whether the city has violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which bans racial discrimination in employment.
The catalyst for the investigation was a speech Johnson delivered Sunday at Apostolic Church of God in the Woodlawn neighborhood, where he enthusiastically described his administration’s demographic overhaul.
He declared that his leadership had led to a dramatic decrease in white staffers and that his team now represented “the most diverse administration in the history of Chicago.” Johnson emphasized that he had hired “our people,” specifically citing the high number of Black individuals holding top posts.
Johnson’s remarks weren’t subtle. “When we say ‘our people hire our people,’ I just want to name this,” he said. He continued by naming several senior positions—including deputy mayors, department heads, and senior advisors—now occupied by Black individuals. He framed this shift not just as representation, but as a pathway to governance that benefits all, asserting that Black leadership naturally serves broader communal interests.
However, what Johnson framed as inclusivity and empowerment has now become the subject of a federal civil rights investigation. In a sharply worded letter, Dhillon noted that Johnson’s public statements raised serious concerns about whether race was the primary criterion in employment decisions, something that could constitute systemic racial discrimination under federal law. “When you say these decisions are being made at the top,” Dhillon wrote, “it raises the question: are they being made that way throughout the city’s departments?”
Demographic data released by Johnson’s office show the racial composition of his staff: 34.3% Black, 30.5% white, 23.8% Hispanic, and 6.7% Asian. While those numbers reflect a broad coalition, it was the mayor’s explicit racial framing and justification for his hiring choices that triggered legal scrutiny.
Johnson has not walked back his comments. Instead, he doubled down, defending his administration as a model of equity. “I’m proud to lead the most diverse administration in the history of our city,” he said in response to the DOJ’s inquiry.
But the stakes are now higher. The Department of Justice will examine whether Johnson’s hiring philosophy—if mirrored across the city’s hiring processes—constitutes a pattern or practice of discrimination. The probe will likely scrutinize not just public statements, but internal hiring records, communications, and departmental practices throughout City Hall.