USDOJ: Civil Rights Division

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The Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, created in 1957 by the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1957, works to uphold the civil and constitutional rights of all Americans, particularly some of the most vulnerable members of our society. The Division enforces federal statutes prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, disability, religion, familial status and national origin.

Justice Department Announces Lawsuit to Protect Rights of Military and Overseas Voters in Vermont

Thursday, October 11, 2012

(Press Release)

The Justice Department announced that it has filed a lawsuit against the state of Vermont and its chief election official to help ensure that military service members, their family members and U.S. citizens living overseas have the opportunity to participate fully in the Nov. 6, 2012 federal general election.

Justice Department Settles with Florida Bus Companies Over Accessibility Violations

Thursday, October 11, 2012

(Press Release)

The Justice Department reached four settlement agreements with over-the-road bus companies in Florida in the last month, to ensure that bus transportation is accessible for people with disabilities.

Former Bryan County, Okla., Sheriff's Office Lieutenant Sentenced for Assaulting Detainee with a Taser

Thursday, October 11, 2012

(Press Release)

The Justice Department announced that former Bryan County, Okla., Sheriff's Office Lieutenant Kevin Bennett Holt, 48, was sentenced to 18 months in the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, followed by 24 months of supervised release, for using a Taser to assault a detainee.

Justice Department Reaches $175 Million Lending Discrimination Settlement with Wells Fargo

Click here to submit your contact information.

Justice Department Announces Agreement to Address and Prevent the Sexual Assault of Students in Allentown, Pa., Schools

Click here to read the proposed Consent Decree.

"Confronting Discrimination in the Post-9/11 Era: Challenges and Opportunities Ten Years Later"

Read the report on the Civil Rights Division's Post-9/11 Civil Rights Summit.

United States v. Commonwealth of Massachusetts, et al.: Massachusetts Department of Correction Employment Discrimination Case

The Department of Justice reached a settlement with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, et al. concerning the Massachusetts Department of Correction's use of a physical abilities test in the hiring of entry-level Correction Officers and Correction Program Officers.

Justice Department Reaches $335 Million Lending Discrimination Settlement with Countrywide Financial Corporation

The Department of Justice filed its largest residential fair lending settlement in history to resolve allegations that Countrywide Financial Corporation and its subsidiaries engaged in a widespread pattern or practice of discrimination.

Department of Justice and Department of Education Release Joint Guidance on the Voluntary Use of Race

Review the Department of Justice's and Department of Education's jointly-issued guidance.

Proposals to Strengthen Laws That Protect the Rights of Servicemembers and Other Civil Rights Laws

Read the Department's proposed legislative amendments to strengthen laws that protect the rights of servicemembers and other civil rights laws. Click here for a one-page fact sheet.

Office of the United States Attorneys

Learn about U.S. Attorneys' efforts to enforce civil rights across the nation

Combating Post-9/11 Discriminatory Backlash

Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Perez has directed the Division's National Origin Working Group to work to combat violations of civil rights laws against Arab, Muslim, Sikh, and South-Asian Americans, and those perceived to be members of these groups, through the creation of the Initiative to Combat Post-9/11 Discriminatory Backlash.