Tenant awarded $80,000 in damages from landlord for discrimination in immigration status

A tenant couple won more than $80,000 in damages under a recent state law
creating a civil rights violation for discrimination in actual or
perceived immigration status or for threatening to call federal
authorities.

Nothing in the reporting suggests that the tenants were bad tenants.
Rent was raised substantially and terms of the lease were changed so
that the tenants signed a written lease, the due date for next month's
rent was moved up to the 29th of the previous month, and they had to pay
utilities which were previously included in the rent.

They were moving out as they couldn't afford the rest increase although
they didn't move out till the end of the next month. Sounds like they
had paid all their rent and the security deposit.

The landlord made the threat on the day they were collecting the rent
for the tenants' final month.

Seems to me of the landlord hadn't made the threat but actually made the
report under federal law, there would have been no state law violation.

It's a huge judgment for a landlord-tenant dispute.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/03/chicago-housing-authority-recent-departures/