Civil Rights

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 Southern District of Iowa. These laws prohibit discrimination, protect the constitutional rights of residents, and affirm equal opportunity for all. The U.S. Attorney’s Office enforces civil rights through civil litigation and criminal prosecution and, in all cases, represents the interests of the United States.

We welcome information regarding potential violations of federally protected civil rights within the Southern District of Iowa.  If you want to submit a complaint to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa regarding a potential civil rights violation occurring within the Southern District please complete this complaint form:

Southern District of Iowa – Civil Rights Complaint Form (English)

Southern District of Iowa – Civil Rights Complaint Form (Espanol)

The complaint form can be submitted to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa:

• By email to USAIAS.civilrightscomplaint@usdoj.gov or
• By postal mail to:

Civil Rights Coordinator

U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa

210 Walnut Street, Suite 455

Des Moines, IA 50309

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

A few examples of the types of matters we can handle include the following (please note this list is not complete and, when in doubt, you should submit a complaint form):

• Disability discrimination by public accommodations (for example, stores, restaurants, hotels, etc.) and state or 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 that has not taken the necessary actions to overcome language barriers for English Language Learner students and/or their families or that engages in discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, or religion);
• Violations of federal laws that protect voting rights;
• Discriminatory employment practices based on an individual’s past, current, or future military status, service, or obligation.

Please note that submitting a complaint form is not the same thing as filing a lawsuit or administrative actions. If you want to file a lawsuit or administrative action, please consult your own attorney.