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Civil Rights and Civil Liberties

Safeguarding civil rights and civil liberties is elemental to all the work we do at DHS.

  • Guidance for Accommodating Religious Beliefs in DHS Policies Requiring Fingerprinting or Photographic Identification

    There are many circumstances in which the Department, in the execution of its missions, requires individuals to pose for or provide a photograph or provide fingerprints. This guidance outlines accommodating religious beliefs in DHS policies when fingerprinting or photographic evidence in required.

    These documents outline guidance for accommodating religious beliefs in DHS policies requiring fingerprinting or photographic identification. The work underlying the memo was done by the Religious Accommodation Working Group I.

  • Guidance for Federal Law Enforcement Agencies Regarding the Use of Race, Ethnicity, Gender, National Origin, Religion, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Disability

    This 2023 Guidance supersedes the Department of Justice’s 2014 Guidance regarding the use of race and other protected individual characteristics by Federal law enforcement agencies.

  • Progress Report for Fiscal Year 2014

    In accordance with Executive Order (EO) 12898 and the Memorandum of Understanding on Environmental Justice and EO 12898 (EJ MOU), DHS has undertaken a number of commitments to further the aims of environmental justice, including publication of an agency-wide Environmental Justice Strategy (DHS EJ Strategy) and annual progress reports on its implementation. DHS is a member of the EPA-sponsored federal Environmental Justice Interagency Working Group (EJ IWG), and facilitates an internal DHS Environmental Justice Working Group (EJWG). The DHS EJWG is co-chaired by the DHS Sustainability and Environmental Programs office (SEP) within the Office of the Chief Readiness Support Officer (CRSO), and the DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL).

  • CRCL Newsletter

    The Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL) monthly newsletter is designed to inform members of the public about the Office’s activities; including how to make complaints, ongoing and upcoming projects, opportunities to offer comments and feedback, etc. 

  • CRCL Newsletter Issues

    Archived issues of the CRCL monthly newsletter.

  • Close Memo for Onsite Investigation at Stewart Detention Center, Lumpkin, Georgia

    CRCL received a report written by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Georgia regarding immigration detention conditions at Georgia facilities, including Stewart Detention Center. The report raised concerns about conditions of detention at Stewart related to correctional operations, medical care, and mental health care. CRCL opened complaints based on the information in the report, and also based upon separate complaints received raising similar concerns.

  • CRCL Language Access Documents

    Documents regarding the draft Language Access Plans for DHS Components and Offices. These draft plans describe the efforts of individual Components to provide meaningful access to DHS programs and activities to persons who are Limited English Proficient (LEP) consistent with the requirements of Executive Order 13166, Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency (August 11, 2000) and the DHS Language Access Plan first issued in February 2012.

  • DHS No FEAR Act Quarterly Reports

    DHS equal employment opportunity quarterly data posted pursuant to the No Fear Act.

  • Civil Rights & Civil Liberties Completed Impact Assessments and Related Documents

    Civil Rights & Civil Liberties Completed Impact Assessments and Related Documents

  • Recommendations Memo Concerning Otero County Processing Center

    CRCL conducted an investigation into conditions of detention for ICE detainees at the Otero County Processing Center in Chaparral, New Mexico.  Between March 2011 and November 2011, CRCL received several complaints relating to a wide range of issues in regard to conditions of detention at the facility.  In response to these complaints, CRCL conducted a site review at the facility from March 13-15, 2012.  As part of the review, CRCL used four independent subject-matter experts: a medical consultant, a mental health consultant, an environmental health and safety consultant, and a penologist.