The DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL) supports individual and community resilience to natural disasters, acts of terrorism, or other emergencies. Through guidance, planning and coordination, CRCL works to ensure that civil rights and civil liberties are integrated into disaster-related policies and procedures. In addition, prior, to, during, and following a disaster, CRCL engages representatives of impacted communities and disseminates information to governmental and non-governmental stakeholders to ensure the protection of individuals with disabilities, immigrant populations, and racially and ethnically diverse communities, including those with limited English proficiency.
For information and resources on the federal government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, visit: https://coronavirus.gov. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has posted many helpful resources to assist individuals in protecting themselves.
Selected Federal Civil Rights Resources Related to COVID-19
The White House
Ensuring equity for all persons is central to President Biden’s National Strategy for the COVID-19 Response and Pandemic Preparedness, including his Executive Order on Ensuring an Equitable Pandemic Response and Recovery. The Administration has also announced a COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force. Federal civil rights laws also require nondiscrimination in the Nation’s efforts to vaccinate the public against the COVID-19 virus regardless of race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex, and other bases.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
DHS Statement on Equal Access to COVID-19 Vaccines and Vaccine Distribution Sites
Read the Statement in Multiple Languages
DHS and its Federal government partners fully support equal access to the COVID-19 vaccines and vaccine distribution sites for undocumented immigrants. It is a moral and public health imperative to ensure that all individuals residing in the United States have access to the vaccine. DHS encourages all individuals, regardless of immigration status, to receive the COVID-19 vaccine once eligible under local distribution guidelines.
DHS carries out its mission, including all areas within its COVID-19 response, without discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, nationality, or other protected class, and in compliance with law and policy. Further, DHS supports the equitable and efficient distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine to all populations, including historically underserved communities.
To reach underserved and rural communities, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in collaboration with federal partners, will coordinate efforts to establish and support fixed facilities, pop-up or temporary vaccination sites, and mobile vaccination clinics. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection will not conduct enforcement operations at or near vaccine distribution sites or clinics. Consistent with ICE’s long-standing sensitive locations policy, ICE does not and will not carry out enforcement operations at or near health care facilities, such as hospitals, doctors' offices, accredited health clinics, and emergent or urgent care facilities, except in the most extraordinary of circumstances.
DHS is committed to ensuring that every individual who needs a vaccine can get one, regardless of their immigration status.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
The HHS, Office of Civil Rights' COVID-19 page compiles links to many helpful resources, including the following:
- HHS Bulletin: Civil Rights, HIPAA, and the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
- HHS Bulletin: Civil Rights Protections Prohibiting Race, Color and National Origin Discrimination During COVID‐19: Application of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
- HHS Bulletin: Ensuring the Rights of Persons with Limited English Proficiency in Health Care During COVID-19
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued guidance to help jurisdictions ensure equitable COVID-19 vaccine access
- The CDC has also issued specific guidance about non-discrimination in scheduling an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccine and at vaccination sites, including ensuring accessibility and effective communication, making vaccination locations accessible, and providing accommodations
- CDC Resources in Languages Other than English
- CDC Videos in American Sign Language (ASL) [Link no longer valid]
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
FEMA is committed to ensuring equitable vaccine access. FEMA has established a Civil Rights Advisory Group to ensure equity in the allocation of vaccine resources comprising FEMA program offices and other federal agencies.
- Ensuring Civil Rights in Multiple Disasters During COVID-19
- Ensuring Equity in Our Vaccine Distribution Support
- Civil Rights COVID-19 Vaccine Checklist to assist state, tribal, and territorial partners in understanding and fulfilling their obligations to provide access to vaccine-related programs, activities, and services in a nondiscriminatory manner.
- Civil Rights Data Collection to ensure compliance with civil rights laws.
U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)
- Protecting Civil Rights While Responding to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
- ADA.gov Emergency Preparedness & Response
- ADA Update: A Primer for State and Local Governments
- ADA Requirements: Effective Communication
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
National Council on Disability (NCD)
- An archive of statements about the Department's immigration enforcement posture during certain emergency events, including natural disasters. Many of these statements are available in multiple languages.
Following DHS listening sessions in many communities heavily impacted by natural disasters in 2017 and 2018, the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties makes the following recommendations to state, local, territorial, and tribal emergency managers to improve the delivery of disaster assistance to disaster survivors with disabilities. The recommendations are grouped by major areas DHS covered in the listening sessions, which are: preparedness, evacuation, effective communication access for people with disabilities, sheltering, and long-term recovery.
- Recommendations for Emergency Managers for Improving the Delivery of Disaster Assistance to Disaster Survivors with Disabilities (in English and en Espanol)
Civil Rights Listening Sessions with Disability Stakeholders in Disaster Impacted Areas
The purpose of these listening sessions was to hear about concerns and experiences related to the impact of the disasters on individuals with disabilities. Participants also shared effective practices for serving individuals with disabilities and others with access and functional needs. By better understanding these experiences, and in partnership with state and local entities, including non-profit organizations, DHS can work to improve preparedness, response, and recovery for persons with disabilities in future disasters.
Federal laws prohibit discrimination in programs and activities receiving federal aid to ensure that actions, both intentional and unintentional, do not exclude anyone based on race, color, national origin (including limited English proficiency), disability, sex, religion, economic status, or familial status in the preparation, response, or recovery phases of emergency and disaster management.
CRCL and Department of Justice Civil Rights Division Joint Letter to State and Local Emergency Managers
- CRCL and Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division Joint Letter to State and Local Emergency Managers on Complying with Civil Rights Laws in Disaster Planning (disability, race, color, national origin, and language)
Race, National Origin, Limited English Proficiency/Language Access
- LEP Map APP - is an interactive mapping tool that helps users find out the concentration of and languages spoken by LEP individuals in a community.
- Notice for Recipients on Nondiscrimination During Disasters (disability, race, color, national origin, and language)
- Tips and Tools for Reaching Limited English Proficient Communities in Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery
- Tips for Communicating with the Whole Community in Disasters (disability, race, color, national origin, and language)
- Title VI Interagency Guidance on Nondiscrimination in Emergency and Disaster Preparedness, Response, and Recovery (English Version)
- https://www.justice.gov/crt/file/885496/download (Spanish version)
Disability
- Accommodating Individuals with Disabilities in the Provision of Disaster Mass Care, Housing, and Human Services
- DHS Guide to Interacting with People Who Have Disabilities
- Guidance on Planning for Integration of Functional Needs Support Services in General Population Shelters
- Notice for Recipients on Nondiscrimination During Disasters (disability, race, color, national origin, and language)
- Rumor Control: Service Animals in Shelters
- Tips for Communicating with the Whole Community in Disasters (disability, race, color, national origin, and language)
- Ready.gov - Disaster Preparedness Tips for Individuals with Disabilities
Request Technical Assistance
CRCL engages with community organizations and emergency managers to provide technical assistance on ensuring equal access to individuals with disabilities, diverse racial and ethnic communities, and those who are limited English proficient in disaster. Send requests for technical assistance to: crcl@hq.dhs.gov
or call 202-401-1474 | 1-866-644-8360 (toll free).
CRCL reviews and investigates civil rights and civil liberties complaints made by the public regarding U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) policies and activities as well as programs and activities of recipients of federal of financial assistance (e.g., grantees). For more information about filing a complaint with CRCL, visit: Make a Civil Rights Complaint.
- Federal Emergency Management Agency
- Department of Justice Civil Rights Division
- Civil Rights in Federally Assisted Disaster Preparedness and Recovery
- Effective Preparedness is Inclusive Preparedness: Accessibility in the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program
For more information, to request technical assistance, or to report concerns, contact CRCL at: crcl@hq.dhs.gov.