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The U.S. Department of Justice has initiated a civil rights investigation into Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s hiring practices.
This action follows remarks made by Johnson during a speech at the Apostolic Church of God in Woodlawn, where he emphasized the number of Black officials in his administration. The DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, led by Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon, cited these comments as potential evidence of race-based hiring, which could violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
In his speech, Mayor Johnson stated, “When we say ‘our people hire our people,’ I just want to name this,” mentioning the decrease in white staffers and asserting that his administration is “the most diverse in the history of Chicago.”
He further remarked, “There are some detractors that will push back on me and say, ‘The only thing that mayor talks about is the hiring of Black people.’ No, what I’m saying is, when you hire our people, we always look out for everybody else. We are the most generous people on the planet.”
🚨 BREAKING: Assistant A.G. Harmeet Dhillon and the DOJ Civil Rights Division just launched an INVESTIGATION into Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson after he said he prioritizes hiring black people.
“The reason I hire so many blacks to run Chicago is because we’re planet earth’s most… pic.twitter.com/rtPLCwI9YV
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) May 19, 2025
The DOJ’s letter expressed concern that such statements suggest hiring decisions may have been made solely based on race. The investigation aims to determine whether a pattern or practice of discrimination exists within the city’s hiring processes. The DOJ noted that if top-level positions are being filled based on race, it also raises questions about hiring practices for lower-level positions.
Mayor Johnson responded to the investigation by defending his administration’s diversity, stating, “I am proud to have the most diverse administration in the history of our city.” He criticized the DOJ’s probe as a “divisive tactic” and accused the Trump administration of lacking respect for the rule of law and being more interested in creating division than promoting inclusivity.
The DOJ’s investigation is expected to take 12 to 18 months and will examine whether the city’s hiring practices violate federal civil rights laws. While the probe is civil in nature, it could lead to consent decrees or other legal actions to address any identified discriminatory practices.
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