U.S. Department
of Justice
Civil Rights Complaints
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas, in coordination with the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice, is charged with enforcing federal civil rights laws. We therefore welcome information from the public that brings to our attention possible violations of our Nation’s civil rights laws. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is primarily a litigating office—not an investigative office. Therefore, any information you provide to this Office may be forwarded to the appropriate law enforcement and/or administrative agency at the discretion of this Office.
Understanding Your Rights
Civil rights law can protect you from unlawful discrimination, harassment, or abuse in a variety of settings like housing, the workplace, school, voting, business, healthcare, public space, and more.
Hate Crimes
The Department of Justice aggressively prosecutes hate crimes, which include acts of physical harm and specific criminal threats motivated by animus based on race, color, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.
Law Enforcement Misconduct
The Department of Justice investigates and, where the evidence permits, prosecutes allegations of Constitutional violations by law enforcement officers. The Department's investigations most often involve alleged uses of excessive force, but also include sexual misconduct, theft, false arrest, and deliberate indifference to serious medical needs or a substantial risk of harm to a person in custody.
Voting
The Voting Section of the Civil Rights Division enforces the civil provisions of the federal laws that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, the National Voter Registration Act, the Help America Vote Act and the Civil Rights Acts.
Civil Enforcement
The U.S. Attorney’s Office may bring civil cases under a number of federal statutes related to civil rights, including the:
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Fair Housing Act (FHA)
Voting Rights Act
Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA)
Title IV, Title VI, and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
Uniformed Services Employment and Re-employment Rights Act (USERRA)
Servicemembers’ Civil Relief Act (SCRA)
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972
Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act of 1980 (CRIPA)
Equal Educational Opportunities Act (EEOA)
Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA)
Deprivation of Rights under Color of Law
Shepard Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act
For more information, please refer to our Civil Rights Enforcement brochure (English | Español).
How to Report a Civil Rights Violation
If you believe that you have been discriminated against, or that your civil rights have been violated, you may:
Contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office
Submit a written complaint using our Civil Rights Complaint Form (English | Español) to:
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas
Attn: Civil Rights Coordinator
1100 Commerce Street, Suite 300
Dallas, Texas 75242
Contact the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division
Complete the online form (English | Español) or call the Civil Rights Division:
202-514-3847
1-855-856-1247 (toll-free)
202-514-0716 (TTY)
Contact Other Law Enforcement
To report misconduct by law enforcement or if you or someone you know has been a victim of a hate crime, please contact the FBI.