Civil Rights Enforcement

The U.S. Constitution and an expansive range of laws protect citizens from discrimination or abuse, including discrimination or abuse based upon race, color, national origin, religion, age, and disability.  Laws may also provide protections to other individuals, including military veterans.  Federal civil rights laws include the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Rehabilitation Act, the Fair Housing Act, the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act, and the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act.  A citizen’s civil rights may be violated under one or more of these laws, for example, if a citizen is turned down for housing because of his or her race, deprived of a job because of his or her gender, or prevented from accessing a store because he or she has a disability. 

The Department of Justice works in close partnership with other federal agencies to enforce the federal civil rights laws.  In certain cases, the Department of Justice or other federal agencies may investigate allegations that a person or entity has violated the civil rights laws and take action to ensure compliance with federal law. 

The Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and this office coordinate and assist with education, outreach, and enforcement of federal civil rights protections.  Individuals may report allegations of civil rights violations to the Civil Rights Division directly through the Division’s online form on its website.  The Civil Rights Division also provides information for individuals with limited English proficiency on the Department of Justice’s website. 

In addition, individuals may contact this office to report a possible violation of the civil rights laws.  Individuals may provide reports as follows:

Civil Rights Enforcement Coordinator
United States Attorney’s Office
63 S. Royal Street, Suite 600
Mobile, AL  36602
Telephone: 251-441-5845

If you are reporting misconduct by law enforcement or believe you have experienced a hate crime, please contact the FBI.  Information is available on the FBI’s website, and you also may find information on the FBI’s local offices.  Individuals may contact the Mobile office at 200 North Royal Street, Mobile, AL  36602, or by telephone at 251-438-3674. 

This office considers any report it receives.  Due to the volume of reports, though, this office cannot respond to all such reports.

 If you or someone else is in immediate danger, please call 911 or contact your local police.