Justice Department Challenges Mississippi's Discriminatory House Bill 1020

The U.S. Justice Department has filed court papers stating that a new Mississippi law discriminates against Black residents in the majority-Black capital city of Jackson. The law requires the appointment of judges in a state where most judges are elected, creating a "two-tiered system of justice" that singles out and discriminates against Black residents. The Justice Department is seeking to join a federal lawsuit filed by the NAACP against the state. The law, temporarily blocked from taking effect, is said to violate the U.S. Constitution's equal protection guarantee. Critics argue that the law takes away self-governance in Jackson and Hinds County, both majority-Black and governed by Democrats, while supporters claim it aims to improve safety in the city.