Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
Safeguarding civil rights and civil liberties is elemental to all the work we do at DHS.
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Developing a Discrimination Complaints Process
This document outlines the basic elements of a process for receiving and responding to complaints of discrimination from program beneficiaries (e.g., program participants, clients, customers, or consumers, etc.). This document can assist recipients in developing a complaint process for their own organization.
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Close Memo for Onsite Investigation at Theo Lacy Facility in Orange, California
CRCL conducted an onsite investigation at the Theo Lacy Facility in Orange, California to address allegations of inadequate medical care, recreation, access to telephones, and law library access, and other concerns. This investigation involved an expert in medical care and an expert in detentions.
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Recommendations Memo to CBP Concerning Religious Questioning at Ports of Entry
This memorandum provides policy and training recommendations to better support front-line CBP Office of Field Operations officers in avoiding improper questions regarding travelers' religion while conducting border inspections. It closes, with general findings and specific recommendations, multiple complaints filed with the
CRCL on this subject, and also closes multiple complaints that touch on similar subjects--without findings or recommendations--due to their age and ongoing litigation. -
Expert Recommendations or Onsite Investigation at Bergen County Jail in Hackensack, New Jersey
CRCL conducted an onsite investigation into conditions of detention for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees at the Bergen County Jail in Hackensack, New Jersey. CRCL's investigation occurred March 27-29, 2018, and was in response to complaints alleging civil rights and civil liberties violations of general conditions of detention, inadequate medical and mental health care of detainees, and inadequate environmental health and safety at the facility.
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DHS Statement Regarding Safety and Enforcement During the California Wildfires
DHS Statement Regarding Safety and Enforcement During the California Wildfires
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DHS Statement Regarding Safety and Enforcement During Hurricane Michael - Translations
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) are concerned about the potential impact of Hurricane Michael to southern and southeastern portions of the United States, where Florida and Alabama are under states of emergency. The following are versions of the statement translated into various languages.
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Expert Recommendations Memo for Onsite Investigation at LaSalle Detention Facility in Jena, Louisiana
CRCL conducted an onsite investigation into conditions of detention for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees at the LaSalle Detention Facility in Jena, Louisiana. CRCL's review of the facility focused in large part on operations in the areas of suicide prevention; medical care; and conditions of confinement. On August 21, 2017, CRCL issued an initial expert recommendation memorandum for this facility. Following this, CRCL issued this supplemental expert recommendation memorandum (below), which focuses on findings regarding four detainee deaths that occurred at the facility between January 23, 2016 and March 13, 2017. CRCL received and reviewed the relevant documents related to these deaths after an onsite investigation concluded on March 17, 2017. Thus, these findings and recommendations were not included in the initial expert recommendations memorandum.
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Supplemental Expert Recommendation Memo to ICE Concerning LaSalle Detention Facility
CRCL conducted an investigation into conditions of detention for ICE detainees at the LaSalle Detention Facility. CRCL's review focused in large part on operations in the areas of suicide prevention, medical care, and confinement. This supplemental memorandum focuses on findings regarding four detainee deaths that occurred at the LaSalle Detention Facility between January 23, 2016 and March 13, 2017.
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Recommendations Memo Concerning Searches of Transgender Individuals
The purpose of this memorandum is to provide recommendations to update the CBP Office of Field Operations Personal Search Handbook and issue a muster instructing officers on the appropriate way to search transgender individuals consistent with the 2015 National Standards on Transport, Escort, Detention, and Search (TEDS).
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Recommendations Memo Concerning Etowah County Jail
CRCL conducted an investigation into conditions of detention for ICE detainees at the Etowah County Jail in Gadsden, Alabama. CRCL's onsite investigation occurred April 9-11, 2018, and was in response to allegations received alleging civil rights and civil liberties violations of detainees at the facility in the following areas: general conditions of detention, environmental health and safety, and inadequate medical and mental health care.