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Civil Rights

Civil Rights (Civil)
The U.S. Attorney's Office's Civil Division enforces a wide spectrum of federal civil rights
laws in order to protect constitutional rights and to affirm equality for all, regardless of
one’s race, ethnicity, sex, color, disability, religion, or national origin. Civil Assistant United
States Attorneys enforce more than 20 civil statutes that protect civil rights, including, but not
limited to:

  • Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 12101 et seq.
    This Act focuses on rights of individuals with disabilities: in employment (title I), to access state and local governmental services (title II) and public accommodations such as restaurants, gyms, and sports arenas (title III).
     
  • Fair Housing Act, 42 U.S.C. § 3601 et seq.
    This Act focuses on landlords, realtors, and others who discriminate against individuals and families based on race, color, religion, sex, familial status, or national origin. 
     
  • Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. § 2000 et seq.
    This Act focuses on state and local government employers which discriminate against employees based upon race, color, religion, sex or national origin.
     
  • Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA), 42 U.S.C. § 1997 et seq.
    This Act focuses on state and local governments which engage in patterns or practices of depriving persons of their constitutional and statutory rights in institutional settings such as jails, prisons, long-term care facilities, and psychiatric hospitals.
     
  • Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (Law Enforcement Misconduct Statute), 34 U.S.C. § 12601 (formerly 42 U.S.C. § 14141)
    This Act focuses on law enforcement agencies who engage in a pattern or practice ofdepriving persons of rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by theConstitution or laws of the United States.
     
  • Voting Rights Act, 52 U.S.C. §§ 10301 et seq.
    This Act focuses on monitoring polling places and investigate and litigate civil actions toprotect the right of all citizens to vote, including the right to register to vote and castmeaningful votes, as protected and guaranteed by the Constitution.
     
  • Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), 50 U.S.C. § 3901 et seq.
    This Act focuses on certain benefits and protections to servicemembers and their dependents during the servicemembers’ military service. 
     
  • Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLIUPA), 42 U.S.C.§ 2000cc.
    This Act focuses on discrimination on the basis of religion and protects the right to worship without substantial burdens in zoning decisions, as well as in prisons and jails, including where religious groups, especially religious minority groups, are subjected to discrimination and unreasonably burdensome treatment.  
     

Civil Rights Enforcement (Criminal)
Criminal Assistant United States Attorneys investigate and prosecute a variety of criminal statutes that prohibit civil rights violations, including those laws that prohibit hate crimes and laws that protect against government officials acting under the color of law who willfully deprive individuals of their Constitutional rights. The Office enforces the following criminal civil rights laws:

Civil Rights Outreach
In addition to investigating and prosecuting violations of federal civil rights laws, the Office also conducts outreach with and training for advocates, state and local agencies, and community members throughout the district. The outreach efforts are aimed at engaging with the public to identify and redress civil rights violations. For example, the Office has hosted a number of roundtable discussions with advocates about issues such as disability rights, hate crimes, and education.

Reporting of Civil Rights Violations
The U.S. Attorney's Office welcomes information from the public regarding possible violations of civil rights laws. To inform the United States Attorney’s Office of a civil rights issue or complaint, please complete this form -  Civil Rights Complaint Form (USAMD.Civilrightscomplaint@usdoj.gov.

Please be aware that while the scope of our civil rights practice is broad, our authority to investigate and seek relief for individual complaining parties for alleged civil rights violations is limited. We can only investigate and seek to remedy alleged discriminatory conduct when authorized by a specific statute and in the manner proscribed by that statute. In some instances, this means that we can only investigate and seek to remedy patterns or practices of unlawful discriminatory conduct, not individual incidents.

 
Updated July 1, 2026