Affirmative Litigation Division

ALD challenges actions by the federal government that harm the City and its residents. ALD does so by commenting on proposed federal rules, filing lawsuits against the federal government, and submitting amicus briefs in support of third-party lawsuits against the government. ALD also enforces the City’s consumer-protection ordinance and other laws against businesses that treat the City or its residents unfairly. Representative actions include:

  • ALD has aggressively challenged the Trump Administration’s attempts to withhold public benefits, restrict immigration, and harm the environment. For example, ALD sued the Administration for its repeated attempts to sabotage the Affordable Care Act and challenged an EPA rule loosening regulation of ozone pollution. ALD also filed comments and amicus briefs opposing the Administration’s rule permitting consideration of an immigrant’s receipt of Medicaid coverage, nutritional assistance, and other basic public benefits when determining whether to approve changes to immigration.
  • ALD has sued 40 online e-cigarette businesses for marketing and selling nicotine-containing products, some flavored like the children’s cereal Froot Loops, to underage City residents. These suits and other actions have resulted in injunctive relief prohibiting companies from selling to Chicago, requiring enhanced age verification, and eliminating youth-friendly flavors, while generating more than $1 million in fines.
  • ALD resolved claims that Uber, Lyft, and Via violated a City ordinance governing driver background checks pursuant to settlement agreements that required the companies to take steps to enhance passenger safety and to pay $10.4 million in fines.

Supporting Information Facts

Department:

I Want To