Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties

The Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL) supports the Department's mission to secure the nation while preserving individual liberty, fairness, and equality under the law. CRCL integrates civil rights and civil liberties into all of the Department activities:

• Promoting respect for civil rights and civil liberties in policy creation and implementation by advising Department leadership and personnel, and state and local partners.
• Communicating with individuals and communities whose civil rights and civil liberties may be affected by Department activities, informing them about policies and avenues of redress, and promoting appropriate attention within the Department to their experiences and concerns.
• Investigating and resolving civil rights and civil liberties complaints filed by the public regarding Department policies or activities, or actions taken by Department personnel.
• Leading the Department's equal employment opportunity programs and promoting workforce diversity and merit system principles.

Advancing Civil Rights and Civil Liberties at DHS

Read our mission statement in alternate languages.

Leadership and Organization

Megan H. Mack is the Department of Homeland Security's Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.

• DHS Organizational Chart
• CRCL Organizational Chart
• CRCL Legal Authorities

CRCL Structure

CRCL's Programs and Compliance Division is comprised of three branches:

• The Compliance Branch investigates complaints from the public alleging violations of civil rights and civil liberties in DHS activities.
• The Programs Branch provides policy advice to the Department on civil rights and civil liberties issues, and includes the following sections:
  • CRCL Institute
  • Community Engagement
  • Immigration
  • Security, Intelligence, and Information Policy
• The Antidiscrimination Group leads anti-discrimination and language access required initiatives for Department-supported activities.

CRCL's Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Diversity Division directs the Department's EEO and diversity policies, products, and services to optimize the effectiveness of its personnel and operations. The Division is comprised of three sections:

• Complaints Management and Adjudication leads the processing of the Department's EEO complaints.
• Diversity Management provides leadership, guidance, and technical assistance to DHS Components on the Department's EEO and diversity initiatives.
• Headquarters EEO Office supports all DHS Headquarters employees by enforcing compliance with EEO laws, regulations, and mandates.

The Office for Accessible Systems and Technology (OAST) leads the Department's implementation of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, which requires that the federal government ensure that individuals with disabilities have equal access to information and data. OAST is jointly managed by CRCL and the Office of the Chief Information Officer.