Civil Rights
House Dems join push to create AI-focused civil rights offices across government
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., would require that federal agencies “utilizing, funding or overseeing AI” establish civil rights offices to address algorithmic bias.
USDA wraps equity commission, vows to continue work
The department will likely have to contend with anti-DEI efforts as it pursues this goal.
LGBTQ+ asylum seekers detail harsh conditions and abuse in ICE custody
A new study found that the majority of LGBTQ+ detainees interviewed experienced harassment while being detained.
House panels review ‘startling’ allegations at Bureau of Indian Education university
An April 2024 report said the school did not act on sexual abuse claims, lacks institutional control to prevent theft and other abuses and is unresponsive to student complaints.
Embracing authenticity: A call to action for federal employees for Pride Month and Juneteenth
COMMENTARY | “Being authentic isn’t just ‘speaking your truth,’ it also means paying attention to the comfort level of others and respecting our own boundaries,” writes one long-time federal employee.
Republican attorneys general mount a new attack on the EPA’s use of civil rights law
Twenty-three states want the Biden administration's EPA to curtail its approach to environmental justice.
5 agencies join Justice in pledge to protect civil rights against AI-fueled discrimination
The agencies pledged to use their existing enforcement authorities to tackle cases where artificial intelligence may impact Americans’ civil rights.
Civil Rights commission digs into government use of facial recognition
The tech poses “serious threats to our fundamental rights,” the chair of the commission said during a Friday briefing.
The DOJ works with law enforcement to improve how deputies communicate with people who don’t speak English
A ProPublica investigation revealed how a grammatical mistake in Spanish led sheriff’s deputies in Wisconsin to wrongly blame a Nicaraguan dairy worker for his son’s death.
Senators demand that the Justice Department halt funding to predictive policing programs
Investigations have shown how a predictive policing algorithm was both discriminatory and inaccurate.
Students and advocates ‘frustrated’ with the Biden administration’s slow response to finalize Title IX changes
House Democrats have urged the Education Department to act on policy protections for LGBTQ+ students and student sexual assault survivors.
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White House tasks several agencies with responding to incidents of antisemitism and Islamophobia
The departments of Homeland Security, Justice and Education will all have roles to address what the White House sees as rising discrimination on college campuses.
Federal agency accused of tolerating employees who distributed Nazi propaganda and harassed colleagues
One worker greeted coworkers with a Nazi salute and praised Hitler, a lawsuit alleges, while supervisors declined to take action.
OIG: Interior Department backdated discrimination determinations and applied incorrect standards
Officials at the department’s Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Civil Rights backdated discrimination decisions for up to 15 days prior to their issuance and erroneously ruled in five cases, according to a new report.
New bill would beef up accessibility reporting requirements for agencies
Agency and department heads would be required to appoint “Section 508 compliance officers” to ensure they meet accessibility mandates.
Supreme Court rejects USPS bid to require employees to work on Sundays
The Postal Service may still prevail in lower court, but the high court has created a new precedent USPS must now follow in providing religious accommodations.
The Supreme Court Weighs Whether USPS Can Force Employees to Work Sundays
Former letter carrier says the mandate undermines his religious liberty.
Why the White House’s Environmental Justice Tool Is Still Disappointing Advocates
New changes “ended up making the program less focused on people of color than it originally was,” one advocate said.
Congressional Black Caucus Meets with Biden to Push for Police Accountability
Last year, at least 1,192 people were killed by law enforcement officers in the U.S., and 26% were Black people despite making up more than 13% of U.S. population
America’s Biggest Museums Fail to Return Native American Human Remains
The remains of more than 100,000 Native Americans are held by prestigious U.S. institutions, despite a 1990 law meant to return them to tribal nations. Here’s how the ancestors were stolen — and how tribes are working to get them back.
