Mission

The Department of Homeland Security Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL) supports the Department's mission to secure the nation while preserving individual liberty, fairness, and equality under the law.

View the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Organizational Chart (PDF - 1 page, 38 KB)

CRCL integrates civil rights and civil liberties into all of the Department activities:

• Promoting respect for civil rights and civil liberties in policy creation and implementation by advising Department leadership and personnel, and state and local partners.
• Communicating with individuals and communities whose civil rights and civil liberties may be affected by Department activities, informing them about policies and avenues of redress, and promoting appropriate attention within the Department to their experiences and concerns.
• Investigating and resolving civil rights and civil liberties complaints filed by the public regarding Department policies or activities, or actions taken by Department personnel.
• Leading the Department's equal employment opportunity programs and promoting workforce diversity and merit system principles.

Read our mission statement in alternate languages.

Leadership and Organization

Tamara Kessler is the Department of Homeland Security's Acting Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.

• The Department of Homeland Security Organizational Chart (PDF, 1 page - 159 KB) shows how the Office fits within the Department.
• CRCL's Legal Authorities

CRCL Structure

CRCL's Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Diversity Division issues final agency decisions relating to EEO on complaints of employment discrimination and leads departmental diversity reporting and analysis efforts.

EEO and Diversity Division includes:

• Complaint Management Adjudication
• Diversity Management
• Headquarters EEO Management

Programs and Compliance Division includes:

• Compliance Branch: Investigates complaints from the public alleging violations of civil rights and civil liberties in Department of Homeland Security activities.
• External Civil Rights: Leads Department anti-discrimination and language access requirement for Department-supported activities
• Programs Branch: Provides Department of Homeland Security senior leadership with constructive civil rights and civil liberties advice that spans the issues confronting the Department

The Programs Branch includes the following sections:

• Civil Rights Civil Liberties Institute
• Community Engagement
• Disaster Preparedness
• Immigration
• Impact Assessments
• Intelligence, Security, and Information Sharing

Office of Accessible Systems and Technology (OAST)

OAST is a joint office of CRCL and the Office of the Chief Information Officer. OAST leads the Department's implementation of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, which requires that the federal government ensure its information and data are accessible to persons with disabilities.