Civil Rights Division

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke Delivers Remarks at the UnidosUS Annual Conference Read more: https://lnkd.in/gJrFnfDt

Justice Department Files Civil Rights Lawsuit Against Illinois Landlord for Sexually Harassing Tenants The Justice Department filed a lawsuit today against Michael J. DeWitte, of Washington, Illinois, for sexually harassing female tenants and housing applicants in violation of the Fair Housing Act. DeWitte has managed residential rental properties in Peoria, Illinois, and other central Illinois counties since at least 2002. “Landlords cannot use their position of power to sexually harass someone who simply wants a place to live,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Fair Housing Act protects tenants’ right to housing free of any kind of sexual advance or harassment. We encourage survivors to speak out so that we can vindicate their fair housing rights.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/g_Z2ypAY

Justice Department Sues Southwest Key for Sexual Abuse and Harassment of Children in Shelters The Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against Southwest Key Programs Inc. (Southwest Key), a Texas-based nonprofit that provides housing to unaccompanied children who are encountered at the southern land border of the United States. The lawsuit alleges that Southwest Key, through its employees, has engaged in a pattern or practice of sexual abuse and harassment of unaccompanied children in Southwest Key shelters in violation of the Fair Housing Act. “Sexual harassment of children in residential shelters, where a child should be safe and secure, is abusive, dehumanizing and unlawful,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Sexual abuse of children is a crisis that we can’t ignore or turn a blind eye to. This lawsuit seeks relief for children who have been abused and harmed, and meaningful reforms to ensure no child in these shelters is ever subjected to sexual abuse again.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/gWkDNGUM

Justice Department’s Final Rule to Improve Web and Mobile App Access for People with Disabilities On April 24, the Justice Department published a landmark final rule to strengthen accessibility of web content and mobile applications under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Websites and mobile apps are used by state and local governments to provide a wide variety of services including health care, education, civic education, voter information and registration, parking and permit applications, among others. Now, public entities, such as state and local governments, must ensure that their web content and mobile apps meet the technical standard established in the rule within two or three years, depending on population size. By requiring that public entities meet a technical standard, the rule will increase people with disabilities’ independence, flexibility, dignity and privacy in their everyday lives. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gnuyxa5b

Today, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke convened principals from partner civil rights offices and senior government officials, where they discussed the importance of #ArtificialIntelligence and civil rights coordination as new technologies become more common in daily life. This was the third such convening hosted by the Civil Rights Division following President Biden’s Executive Order on the Safe, Secure and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence (EO 14110), which tasks the Civil Rights Division with coordinating federal agencies to use our authorities to prevent and address unlawful discrimination and other harms that may result from the use of AI in programs and benefits, while preserving the potential social, medical and other advances AI may spur. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gYrtCiAn

Today, the Justice Department hosted a special program and celebration, “The 1964 Civil Rights Act at 60: Commemorating the Legacy, Championing the Future" honoring the 60th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act. The program featured remarks from Department leadership, as well as a panel discussion with essential government partners and civil rights advocates who honored past and present efforts to achieve equal rights under the law. Read the Attorney General's full remarks: https://lnkd.in/gKzeCTTh

Two Former Missouri Police Officers Indicted for Federal Civil Rights Violations Two former Northwoods, Missouri, police officers were indicted last week for violating a man’s civil rights in 2023. One officer turned himself in yesterday, and the other turned himself in today. Samuel Davis and Michael Hill were each indicted in relation to a July 4, 2023, encounter with a man, identified in the indictment as “C.G.,” after they were called to a Walgreens in Northwoods. Each were indicted on one count of conspiracy to intimidate C.G. in the free exercise and enjoyment of his right to be free from unreasonable seizure and deprivation of rights under color of law. Davis was also indicted on one count of engaging in misleading conduct with the intent to hinder, delay and prevent the communication of information relating to the possible commission of a federal offense and one count of altering records in a federal investigation. Hill was also indicted on one count of lying to the FBI. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gzEn7tAV

Justice Department Secures Settlement in Discrimination Lawsuit for Blocking Affordable Housing Development in Louisiana The Justice Department announced today that the Town of Franklinton (Franklinton), Louisiana, has agreed to pay $230,000 in damages and civil penalties to settle allegations that it violated the Fair Housing Act when it blocked a proposed affordable housing development for low-income tenants in a predominantly white part of Franklinton. Under the agreement, Franklinton will also facilitate the development of new affordable housing to replace the units that it previously blocked, amend its zoning ordinance to increase the amount of land available for the development of multi-family housing and create a land donation program to support the development of affordable housing. “Developing affordable housing in high opportunity neighborhoods can have a transformative impact on the livelihoods of low-income residents of all races,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Fair Housing Act prohibits cities and towns from blocking low-income housing development because they believe that Black people will make up a large share of the future residents. Officials must ensure that affordable housing opportunities are made available and that all families have access to them regardless of race. The Justice Department will continue to hold jurisdictions accountable when they abuse their zoning power to deny equal access to housing opportunity.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/ggVfdiK4

Former D.C. Corrections Officer Sentenced for Civil Rights Violation for Assaulting a Handcuffed Inmate A former District of Columbia Department of Corrections Officer, Marcus Bias, 28, was sentenced today to 42 months in prison followed by 24 months of supervised release for one count of deprivation of rights under color of law for assaulting a handcuffed inmate. Bias previously pleaded guilty in March. “This defendant had a duty to treat people in his custody humanely,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The defendant is being held accountable for violently ramming an inmate’s head into a metal doorframe while the victim was handcuffed, surrounded by six officers and posed no threat. The Justice Department will vigorously investigate and prosecute such excessive force against prisoners and will insist that corrections officers respect the civil and constitutional rights of those entrusted to their care.” “Like any other law enforcement officer, the defendant had a duty to protect the constitutional rights of anyone who was in his care and custody,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “The defendant ignored that responsibility, when he assaulted and seriously injured an inmate who posed no threat. Such assaults are civil rights violations that will be prosecuted.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/g6UP_eqi

Virginia Couple Sentenced for Forcing Victim to Work at Their Gas Station and Convenience Store for Over Three Years A Virginia couple was sentenced today for compelling the labor of the man’s younger cousin at their gas station and convenience store for over three years. The couple has since divorced. Harmanpreet Singh, 31, was sentenced to 135 months in prison and Kulbir Kaur, 43, was sentenced to 87 months in prison. Additionally, the court ordered Singh and Kaur to pay the victim $225,210.76 in restitution. “The defendants exploited their relationship with the victim to lure him to the United States with false promises that they would help enroll him in school,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The defendants confiscated the victim’s immigration documents and subjected him to threats, physical force and mental abuse to coerce him to work long hours for minimal pay. This sentence should send a strong message that such forced labor will not be tolerated in our communities. The Justice Department is committed to fully enforcing our federal human trafficking statutes to vindicate the rights of survivors and hold human traffickers accountable for such shameful exploitation of vulnerable victims.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/gw4iedZY