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Civil Rights & Environmental Justice

The United States Attorney’s Office, in coordination with the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice, is charged with enforcing certain federal civil rights laws throughout the Northern District of Iowa. We welcome information regarding potential violations of federally protected civil rights within the Northern District of Iowa. In addition, if you are aware of a violation of federal law raising environmental justice concerns, please use the below form to share relevant information.

If you want to submit a complaint to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa regarding a potential civil rights violation or an environmental justice matter, please fill and follow the instructions on this form:

If you want to submit a civil rights complaint that does not relate to conduct occurring in the Northern District of Iowa, please visit civilrights.justice.gov.

If you’re unsure if your complaint falls within the Northern District of Iowa or is something our office can investigate, please submit the completed form and we will do our best to point you in the right direction. A few examples of the types of matters we can handle include (note: this list is not complete; when in doubt, submit a complaint and we will be in touch):

  • Disability discrimination by public accommodations (for example, stores, restaurants, hotels, etc.) and state/local governments, including denying services or goods due to the presence of a service animal and failing to reasonably modify policies and practices to accommodate a disability;
  • Landlords sexually harassing tenants and/or prospective tenants;
  • A school or school district has not taken the necessary actions to overcome language barriers for English Language Learner students and/or their families or discriminates on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, or religion (for example, failing to adequately respond to instances of harassment or assault based on race, color, national origin, sex, or religion);
  • Violations of federal laws that protect voting rights;
  • Environmental harms that pose a threat to human health and/or to natural resources; and
  • Discriminatory employment practices based on an individual’s past, current, or future military status, service, or obligation.

There are only a few examples of the types of complaints our office may investigate. If you’re unsure if your particular complaint qualifies, please submit the completed Complaint Form and our office will be in touch.

Submitting the above Complaint Form is not the same thing as filing a lawsuit or administrative action. If you want to file a lawsuit or administrative action, please consult your own attorney.

 

Training

 

The United States Attorney’s Office can offer training to your organization about its Affirmative Civil Enforcement (ACE) authority and related topics, including training on the False Claims Act and federal civil rights statutes and enforcement. If you would like to discuss a potential training for your organization, please e-mail USAIAN.CivilRightsComplaint@usdoj.gov

 
Updated November 1, 2022