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 Reaches Fair Housing Settlement with Design Professionals in Disability Lawsuit

Thursday, May 16, 2013

(Press Release)

The Justice Department announced a settlement with the architects and civil engineers involved in the design and construction of multifamily housing complexes located in Mississippi, Louisiana and Tennessee.

Justice Department Reaches Settlement to Reform the Missoula, Mont. Police Department's Response to Sexual Assault

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

(Press Release)

The Department of Justice reached a comprehensive agreement with the Missoula, Mont., Police Department to ensure that the police department fairly and effectively responds to reports of sexual assault.

Two Tennessee Men Plead Guilty to Conspiring to Violate Civil Rights of African-american Residents

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

(Press Release)

Two Spring Hill, Tenn., men pleaded guilty in federal court for their involvement in a racially-motivated conspiracy to interfere with the housing rights of African-American residents of the Spring Lake subdivision of Spring Hill.

Joint Statement of the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Justice – Accessibility (Design and Construction) Requirements for Multifamily Dwellings under the Fair Housing Act - April 2013

Mailing Begins to Borrowers Eligible for Payments from $234.3 Million Wells Fargo Mortgage Lending Discrimination Settlement

Mailing Begins to Borrowers Eligible for Payments from $21 Million SunTrust Mortgage Lending Discrimination Settlement

Comienza envío de cartas a los prestatarios con derecho a recibir pagos del fondo de $21 millones de SunTrust Mortgage

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.

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