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Archived Content

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Data on Complaints Received

The Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL) investigates and resolves civil rights and civil liberties complaints filed by the public regarding Department policies or activities, or actions taken by Department personnel. Data below reflects complaints received by the Department from 2011 to the present. (Find more information on complaints data for FY 2003-2010 here.)

Primary Allegation 2011 2012 2013 2014        2015 2016
Abuse of Authority 14 13 11 11     28 21
Breach of Confidentiality 3 3 5      
Conditions of Detention 69 59 31 63 92 62
Disability Accommodation 6 4 9 6 17 59
Discrimination/Profiling 64 13 17 27 20 31
Due Process 21 8 3 31 40 61
Excessive Force 19 37 46 46 52 44
First Amendment (free speech/association) 1 3 1 6 3  
Fourth Amendment (search and seizure) 6 6 1 9 10 14
Hate Speech         1  
Human Rights 1 2 11 6 13 13
Inappropriate Questioning/Inspection Conditions 7 5 8 13 3 5
Intimidation/Threat/Improper Coercion 2 5 4 7 14 12
Inappropriate Touch/Search of Person (non-TSA)   1 2 4 6 1
Language Access (limited English proficiency) 3 7 2 3 4 6
Legal Access 4 6 2 11 12 10
Medical/Mental Health Care 47 64 112 144 360 269
Other 1          
Privacy     1 4 4 3
Religious Accommodation 4 6 12 7 13 10
Retaliation 2   3 3 5 2
Sexual Assault/Abuse 5 6 9 15 16 14
TSA AIT and TSA Pat-Downs 11 4 3 1 1 2
Retained by DHS Office of Inspector General 8 3 9 14 17 25
Total 8290 253 293 417 714 639

Primary Allegation 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Abuse of Authority 8 1 4 7 9 12
Breach of Confidentiality            
Conditions of Detention 7 6 5 39 17 18
Disability Accommodation 3 3 1 1 1 3
Discrimination/Profiling 37 5 6 8 11 19
Due Process 7 3   15 5 19
Excessive Force 14 20 30 25 25 21
First Amendment (free speech/association)     1   1  
Fourth Amendment (search and seizure) 1 3   2 5 6
Hate Speech         1  
Human Rights           5
Inappropriate Questioning/Inspection Conditions 6 4 6 11 3 4
Inappropriate Touch/Search of Person (non-TSA)   1 1 2 4  
Intimidation/Threat/Improper Coercion 1 1 2 5 8 4
Language Access (limited English proficiency) 1 6 2 1 3 1
Legal Access 2         2
Medical/Mental Health Care 4 3 11 29 13 17
Monitoring On-going Criminal Proceedings   1        
Other            
Privacy         1  
Religious Accommodation   1 1     1
Retaliation 1       1  
Sexual Assault/Abuse 2   3 6 3 4
TSA AIT and TSA Pat-Downs 1          
Retained by DHS Office of Inspector General 4 3 4 12 6 14
Total 95 58 73 151 111 136

Primary Allegation 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Abuse of Authority            
Breach of Confidentiality            
Conditions of Detention            
Disability Accommodation            
Discrimination/Profiling            
Due Process            
Excessive Force            
Fourth Amendment (search and seizure)            
Free Speech/Association            
Human Rights            
Inappropriate Questioning/Inspection Conditions            
Intimidation/Threat/Improper Coercion            
Language Access (limited English proficiency)           1
Legal Access            
Medical/Mental Health Care            
Other            
Privacy            
Religious Accommodation            
Retaliation            
Sexual Assault/Abuse            
TSA AIT and TSA Pat-Downs            
Retained by DHS Office of Inspector General            
Total 0 0 0 0 0 1

Primary Allegation 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Abuse of Authority 6 10 7 3 13 7
Breach of Confidentiality   2 2      
Conditions of Detention 61 50 26 23 74 43
Disability Accommodation     3 1 7 6
Discrimination/Profiling 13 5 7 13 5 7
Due Process 9 3 2 11 22 25
Excessive Force 5 17 15 19 23 20
First Amendment (free speech/association) 1 1   4 1  
Fourth Amendment (Search and Seizure) 5 3 1 6 3 8
Hate Speech            
Human Rights           1
Inappropriate Questioning/Inspection Conditions   1       1
Inappropriate Touch/Search of Person (non-TSA)     1 1 2 1
Intimidation/Threat/Improper Coercion 1 4   1 5 8
Language Access (Limited English Proficiency) 1 1   1 1 3
Legal Access 2 6 2 11 12 6
Medical/Mental Health Care 42 61 99 112 346 249
Monitoring Ongoing Criminal Proceedings            
Other 1          
Privacy       4   2
Religious Accommodation 3 4 8 6 12 7
Retaliation 1   2 3 4 2
Sexual Assault/Abuse 3 6 6 8 12 8
TSA AIT and TSA Pat-Downs 1          
Retained by DHS Office of Inspector General 3   4 1 11 9
Total 155 174 181 227 542 404

Primary Allegation 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Abuse of Authority         1  
Breach of Confidentiality 1          
Conditions of Detention            
Disability Accommodation     3 1 4 3
Discrimination/Profiling 8 3   1 1 1
Due Process 1          
Excessive Force           1
First Amendment (free speech/association)   1        
Fourth Amendment (search and seizure)            
Hate Speech            
Human Rights            
Inappropriate Questioning/Inspection Conditions 1          
Inappropriate Touch/Search of Person (non-TSA)            
Intimidation/Threat/Improper Coercion            
Language Access (limited English proficiency)            
Legal Access            
Medical/Mental Health Care            
Monitoring Ongoing Criminal Proceedings            
Other            
Privacy            
Religious Accommodation   1 2 1 1 1
Retaliation            
Sexual Assault/Abuse           1
TSA AIT and TSA Pat-Downs 9 4 3 1 1 2
Retained by DHS Office of Inspector General           1
Total 20 9 8 4 8 9

Primary Allegation 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Abuse of Authority            
Breach of Confidentiality            
Conditions of Detention            
Disability Accommodation       1    
Discrimination/Profiling            
Due Process            
Excessive Force            
First Amendment (free speech/association)         1  
Fourth Amendment (search and seizure)            
Hate Speech            
Human Rights            
Inappropriate Questioning/Inspection Conditions            
Intimidation/Threat/Improper Coercion            
Language Access (limited English proficiency)            
Legal Access            
Medical/Mental Health Care            
Other            
Privacy            
Religious Accommodation            
Retaliation            
Sexual Assault/Abuse            
TSA AIT and TSA Pat-Downs            
Retained by DHS Office of Inspector General            
Total 0 0 0 1 1 0

Primary Allegation 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Abuse of Authority            
Breach of Confidentiality 1   2      
Conditions of Detention            
Disability Accommodation 1   1 1 4 43
Discrimination/Profiling 1   2 2 1 3
Due Process       1 2 8
Excessive Force            
Fourth Amendment (search and seizure)            
Free Speech/Association            
Human Rights            
Inappropriate Questioning/Inspection Conditions            
Inappropriate Touch/Search of Person (non-TSA)            
Intimidation/Threat/Improper Coercion         1  
Language Access (limited English proficiency) 1         1
Legal Access           1
Medical/Mental Health Care     1   3  
Monitoring Ongoing Criminal Proceedings            
Other            
Privacy           1
Religious Accommodation           1
Retaliation            
Sexual Assault/Abuse            
TSA AIT and TSA Pat-Downs            
Retained by DHS Office of Inspector General            
Total 4 0 6 4 11 58

Primary Allegation 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Abuse of Authority            
Breach of Confidentiality   1        
Conditions of Detention            
Disability Accommodation   1        
Discrimination/Profiling            
Due Process            
Excessive Force           1
Fourth Amendment (search and seizure)            
Free Speech/Association   1        
Human Rights            
Inappropriate Questioning/Inspection Conditions            
Inappropriate Touch/Search of Person (non-TSA)            
Intimidation/Threat/Improper Coercion            
Language Access (limited English proficiency)            
Legal Access            
Medical/Mental Health Care            
Monitoring Ongoing Criminal Proceedings            
Other            
Privacy            
Religious Accommodation            
Retaliation            
Sexual Assault/Abuse            
TSA AIT and TSA Pat-Downs            
Retained by DHS Office of Inspector General           1
Total 0 3 0 0 0 1

Primary Allegation 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Abuse of Authority   2   1 5 2
Breach of Confidentiality 1   3      
Conditions of Detention 1 3   1 1 1
Disability Accommodation 2   1 1 1 4
Discrimination/Profiling 5   2 3 2 1
Due Process 4 2 1 4 11 9
Excessive Force     1 2 4 1
First Amendment (free speech/association)       2    
Fourth Amendment (search and seizure)       1 2  
Hate Speech            
Human Rights 1 2 11 6 13 7
Inappropriate Questioning/Inspection Conditions     6 2    
Inappropriate Touch/Search of Person (non-TSA)     2 1    
Intimidation/Threat/Improper Coercion     2 1    
Language Access (limited English proficiency)       1   1
Legal Access           3
Medical/Mental Health Care 1   2 3 1  
Monitoring Ongoing Criminal Proceedings            
Other            
Privacy            
Religious Accommodation 1   1      
Retaliation     1      
Sexual Assault/Abuse       1 1 1
TSA AIT and TSA Pat-Downs            
Retained by DHS Office of Inspector General 1   1 1    
Total 16 9 25 30 41 30

 *Complaints data for FY 2003-2010.

Last Updated: 03/27/2024
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