Initiative to Combat the Post-9/11 Discriminatory Backlash
The Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights has directed the Civil Rights Division’s National Origin Working Group to help combat violations of federal civil and criminal rights laws affecting individuals perceived to be of Middle Eastern descent.

Federal Protections Against National Origin Discrimination explains the laws prohibiting national origin discrimination. Laws that prohibit national origin discrimination make it illegal to discriminate because of a person's birthplace, ancestry, culture or language. The brochure also gives information on how to file a complaint based on this type of discrimination.

Limited English Proficiency (LEP)
Federally operated and federally funded programs and activities must be made meaningfully accessible to limited English proficient (LEP) persons under Executive Order 13166 and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and implementing regulations. The Civil Rights Division's Coordination and Review Section takes the lead in implementing Executive Order 13166 and Title VI across the federal government.

Frequently Asked Questions about

• civil rights appeals
• criminal civil rights violations
• educational opportunities discrimination
• employment discrimination
• immigrant employment discrimination
• housing discrimination
• limited English proficiency
• special situations, such as rights of people in jail, and police misconduct
• voting discrimination

How to file a discrimination complaint regarding

• disabilities
• educational opportunities
• employment
• employment (DOJ employees)
• housing
• institutions, (jails, prisons, juvenile facilities, developmental disability/mental retardation facilities, mental health facilities or nursing homes)
• state or local law enforcement agencies
• interference with access to reproductive health clinics or places of religious worship
• voting

Recipients of Federal Funds
The Department provides financial assistance to units of state and local governments, as well as public and private entities involved in the criminal justice system. Recipients of this assistance are prohibited from discrimination on the basis of race, national origin and handicap. In addition, recipients of financial assistance from the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) are prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, national origin, handicap, sex and religion in their employment practices and in the services they provide. Also, recipients of OJP and COPS assistance are prohibited from discriminating on the basis of age in their services.

Find out how to file a discrimination complaint against a recipient of financial assistance from OJP and COPS or from other Department of Justice components.