This post is part a series highlighting the department’s work with tribes in honor of American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month. For more information visit justice.gov/tribal.

The Civil Rights Division is responsible for enforcing federal laws that protect the rights of American Indians and Alaska Natives, including laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, religion and membership in a language minority group. 

These federal laws prohibit discrimination in education, employment, credit, housing, public accommodations, voting, state and local government services, and in certain federally-funded and conducted programs, among other areas.  The division also prosecutes actions under several criminal civil rights laws designed to protect personal liberties and safety.

 During American Indian and Alaska Native heritage month we are proud to highlight work that has protected American Indians and Alaska Natives.

President Barack Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder have made the prosecution of hate crimes a top priority. The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009 (HCPA) expanded the division’s ability to prosecute violence motivated by animus toward American Indians because of their race, national origin or color.  Working with U.S. Attorney’s Offices, the Civil Rights Division has prosecuted civil rights crimes victimizing Native Americans through sex trafficking, hate crimes and police brutality. 

In United States v. Beebe, Sanford, and Hatch (PDF), three defendants pleaded guilty in June and August 2011 for their roles in a racially-motivated assault on a 22-year-old Navajo man with a developmental disability.  Their indictment constituted the first time anyone had been charged with violating the HCPA. 

The Civil Rights Division also enforces the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act that protects the religious exercise of persons confined to institutions covered by the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act, including Native American religious beliefs and practices.

In April 2011, the division filed a statement of interest in Limbaugh v. Thompson (PDF), challenging a requirement by the Alabama Department of Corrections that male inmates cut their hair short.  The plaintiffs are adherents to Native American religious practices that mandate that hair be worn long, particularly during a time of mourning.

The Civil Rights Division enforces the civil rights of Native Americans to participate in all parts of the electoral process, including voter registration, running for office, and exercising the right to vote.

Last year, the division signed a memorandum of agreement (PDF) with Shannon County in South Dakota to remedy alleged violations of the Voting Rights Act and the Help America Vote Act.  The agreement provides for a comprehensive Lakota Election Information Program to ensure that election information and materials are translated and disseminated orally in Lakota in a timely manner. It also ensures that limited-English proficient voters receive assistance in Lakota with registration and absentee voting, and that bilingual poll officials are hired and trained. 

Further, the agreement ensures that on Election Day each polling place has an operational voting system accessible to persons with disabilities and persons with limited English proficiency, provisional ballots and written verification information, and the required signage. 

The division enforces the civil rights of American Indian students to receive education free of discrimination on the basis of race, national origin, color, religion or English language proficiency.

In March of 2011, the division obtained a resolution agreement with the Arizona Department of Education in which Arizona agreed to rescind its policy of mandating the use of a one-question Home Language Survey.  Instead, Arizona issued a directive that requires all school districts to use a three-question Home Language Survey, which will ensure that all potential English language learner (ELL) students are identified and assessed

 In the wake of the nationwide housing and foreclosure crisis, the Civil Rights Division has made enforcement of fair housing and fair lending laws a top priority.

 The division has created a dedicated fair lending unit in the Housing and Civil Enforcement Section and hired a Special Counsel for Fair Lending.  The division investigates allegations of discrimination in housing sales and rentals, as well as lending and other aspects of credit by entities such as car dealerships, commercial lenders, home lenders, and credit card companies. 

The Civil Rights Division also has authority to challenge places of public accommodation, such as hotels, restaurants and movie theaters, which discriminate based on race, color, religion or national origin.

The Civil Rights Division will continue that all Americans are protected and able to live a life free from discrimination.

 For more information, please visit justice.gov/crt

Today Attorney General Holder traveled to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, to join Prosecutor General Radhaméz Jiménez Peña in signing an important asset sharing agreement that marks the culmination of a major international fraud case.

This agreement, which relates to an estimated $37 million in criminal assets that are currently being recovered by U.S. and Dominican officials, represents the opening of an historic new chapter in the strong record of law enforcement cooperation that has long defined the relationship between these two nations.

These millions stem from the case of the so-called Benitez Brothers, who defrauded the Medicare Program to the tune of an estimated $80 million. But the United States could not recover these assets, or ensure justice, alone. Fortunately, thanks to unprecedented levels of cooperation between American officials and their Dominican counterparts over a period of more than two years, we were able to conduct an exhaustive investigation and build a strong case.

With this agreement, these two nations set a new standard for effective collaboration. 20 percent of all assets recovered from this case with the office of the Prosecutor General of the Dominican Republic, who will put them to good use – improving prison facilities, combating organized crime, and providing security for witnesses who are crucial to the successful prosecution of criminal cases.

Today’s signing ceremony marks the fourth time in ten years that America’s government has recognized – through asset sharing – the remarkable forfeiture assistance that Dominican authorities have afforded to the United States. It reaffirms our common values, as well as our ongoing commitment to the goals that the United States and the Dominican Republic share: protecting our citizens, strengthening our borders, improving public safety, reducing recidivism, and preventing and combating gang- and drug-fueled crime and violence.

But today’s agreement is more than an encouraging step forward, and an affirmation of the shared desire to increase cooperation and collaboration, on one specific case. The U.S. and the Dominican Republic have entered into negotiations for a permanent agreement that will govern the asset sharing relationship long into the future. We look forward to the rapid conclusion of these negotiations, and to the timely adoption of such an agreement.

The Justice Department and the Attorney General are grateful to the attorneys, investigators, and law enforcement officers – in the United States as well as the Dominican Republic – whose efforts proved so instrumental in helping to bring the Benitez Brothers to justice.

On Wednesday the Department of Justice held its Veteran’s Appreciation Ceremony to honor and pay tribute to Department Veterans and to observe the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. Attorney General Eric Holder hosted the event in the Great Hall with Director Robert S. Mueller III of the FBI, a Vietnam Veteran, as the keynote speaker.

The ceremony honored the extraordinary group of 19,000 soldiers, airmen, sailors, and Marines who contribute to the Department’s missions as agents, attorneys, investigators, and support staff in offices all around the world. Attorney General Holder reflected on the legacy of service of the Veterans who chose to bring their skills and talent to the Department of Justice:

“Many of you have helped to lead the Department’s activities to protect the employment rights, voting rights, and financial security of veterans across the country. And today, on behalf of President Obama and my colleagues across the Administration, I’d like to thank you, once again, for your service. I also want to reaffirm the Department’s commitment to standing with you – not just on Veterans Day, but every day of the year – as we take this work to the next level.”

As a direct result of the Presidents Executive Order on the Employment of Veterans, The Justice Department’s Veterans Employment Office was established in March of 2010. Its mission is to recruit Veterans into the Department of Justice workforce as well as support training and retention of these Veterans. The office does this by participating in job fairs, transition workshops, seminars, and other Veteran specific events, as well as partnering with military transition and career centers, military installations, and through community outreach.

The Veterans Employment Office also works with the Office of Management Programs to incorporate veteran specific training and information for Justice Department human resources and hiring managers to attract and advance dedicated employees who have served their country.

Veterans looking for information about continuing their service with a job in the federal government should visit fedshirevets.gov

View Photos from the Event

Mr. Dennis W. Zotigh delivers remarks before he performs a cultural piece at the commemoration.

This week the Department of Justice held a special event in the Great Hall commemorating National Native American Heritage Month. Each November, the department honors the cultural traditions, contributions and history of America’s indigenous peoples in honor of their many sacrifices and contributions to our nation’s well-being. 

The theme for the department’s commemoration was “Indians and the Law: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.” During the commemoration, Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole and Associate Attorney General Thomas J. Perrelli delivered special remarks. Deputy Attorney General Cole spoke about the department’s enduring promise to support and safeguard tribal communities and enhance tribal justice.

“As we honor American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage month, we work to build on our continued progress strengthening tribal law enforcement.  We work to enhance our ability to prosecute crimes in Indian Country, and we work to reinforce a strong government-to-government relationship.”

We were honored to welcome back to the department Hilary Tompkins, Solicitor of the Department of the Interior and former Justice Department trial attorney to deliver the keynote address.  Ms. Tompkins is the first Native American to serve as the Solicitor of the Interior Department. 

Solicitor Tompkins spoke about how the Interior Department plays a major role in legal and policy decisions that impact the daily lives of Indian people. She also discussed her personal experiences as a Native American and the ways her life has been affected by federal law and policy, and how the law influenced her understanding of Navajo culture. Reflecting on her responsibilities as the Department of Interior Solicitor, Tompkins said:

 “We will continue to strengthen our relationship with tribal governments and assist them as they protect their cultural identity and history through their own legal and political systems. I have great faith that we will chart the path forward with grace, honor, and justice that will make future generations proud.”

Department employees and guests were also honored by a cultural performance by Mr. Dennis W. Zotigh, a Kiowa, San Juan Pueblo and Santee Dakota Indian.  Mr. Zotigh is a nationally and internationally recognized performer and lecturer.

Under the leadership of Attorney General Holder, the department has launched critical tribal justice initiatives to meet the challenges facing American Indian and Alaska Native tribes.  In support of Indian Country law enforcement efforts, the department directed United States Attorney’s offices across the country to collaborate with tribal law enforcement officials and develop strategies to reduce crime.  The department also established a Violence Against Women Federal and Tribal Prosecution Task Force, which works on strategies to reduce violence against Native women. In addition, the  Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS) awarded nearly $127 million to support public safety initiatives in Indian Country.  Solicitor Tompkins, along with many other Department of the Interior colleagues, remain vigorous partners in these efforts to support public safety in tribal communities.

The department’s Environmental and Natural Resources Division also protects over 60 million acres of tribal lands and resources.  The division works to protect treaty rights, defend reservation boundaries and assert water rights.  This work helps to fulfill the promise that reservations can serve as homelands where tribal sovereignty and culture can flourish. 

As we continue this month-long observance of Native American Heritage Month, we at the Department of Justice rededicate ourselves to fulfilling our promise to promote justice, and to help build healthy, safe, and sustainable tribal communities.   In doing so, we honor the many contributions and sacrifices that American Indians and Alaska Natives continue to make to the United States.

Learn more about the Justice Department’s efforts to promote tribal justice and safety at justice.gov/tribal. |  See more pictures from the event.

The following post appears courtesy of  Attorney General Eric Holder.

Throughout my career, I have seen the devastating effects of youth violence far too often.  As a prosecutor and a judge; as a U.S. Attorney, as Deputy Attorney General – and, above all, as the father of three teenage children – I’ve been determined to make the progress that our nation’s young people deserve.  

In September of 2009, this country was shocked by a video depicting the brutal beating and murder of a 16-year-old Chicago honor student.  That savage attack was seared into our collective memory, and it left an indelible mark on the community where it took place.  But, tragically, it is just one horrifying example of the violence that many young people face every day, in cities and towns across this country.

In response to this crisis, last year, President Obama directed the Departments of Justice and Education to partner with other federal agencies – and with representatives from six cities – to launch the National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention, a network of committed stakeholders dedicated to stopping the brutality and bloodshed that devastates too many of the youngest members of our society.  The six cities participating in the Forum — Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Memphis, Salinas, Calif. and San Jose, Calif. — have made great strides toward developing and implementing comprehensive crime prevention strategies tailored to eradicating the violence that has ravaged their communities and stolen so many promising futures.

Last week, teams from these cities — comprised of law enforcement officers, policy and public-health experts, educators, researchers, city officials, social services providers, community and faith leaders, and concerned parents — gathered in Washington, D.C., to share their progress in using cost-effective and evidence-based strategies to prevent youth violence and help formerly incarcerated youth become productive citizens. 

Also last week, at a hearing before the House of Representatives’ Committee on the Judiciary’s Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security,  Congressmen Bobby Scott, John Conyers, and Steve Cohen congratulated Laurie O. Robinson, Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs, and this Administration for our efforts on the Forum and urged us to keep up the important work. 

It’s clear that these efforts are already beginning to take hold.  For example, the City of Memphis launched a Crime Prevention Unit this year that includes 90 officers focused on reaching youth before they come in contact with the criminal justice system.   Meanwhile, officials in Chicago have established a Youth Shooting Review panel — a pilot project that reviews fatal and non-fatal shootings, drawing on both public health and criminal justice perspectives, to gain a more substantive understanding of their causes and context.  The panel will identify patterns, gaps in key services, and effective strategies to prevent shootings among school-age youth.  

Forum participants have also taken steps to better understand, and more thoroughly address, the joblessness, illiteracy, violence, and other challenges that formerly incarcerated young people often face when they return to their communities.  To improve the outcomes for these youth and help them become contributing community members, San Jose, Calif. has become part of a county-wide Reentry Network.  The Network provides assessment and programming to youth who are both in custody and in the community, along with resources to help them transition to a more stable, self-sufficient and successful lifestyle.

In each of these six cities, the National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention has brought local experts together with federal officials and other key stakeholders, in order to share best practices; to develop strategies for reducing brutality among, and directed toward, young people; and to address and overcome common challenges. 

I’m proud to say that the work we are leading is sending an unmistakable message that, in this country, we will not give up on our children.  And it’s ensuring that the priorities we set now will allow America’s next generation of leaders to break destructive cycles and seize tomorrow’s opportunities.

Attorney General Holder receives the highest Bulgarian law enforcement award from Deputy Prime Minister Tsvetanov of Bulgaria

Today, Attorney General Eric Holder met with Tsvetan Tsvetanov, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior of the Republic of Bulgaria. They discussed law enforcement cooperation between the two countries in areas including organized crime, asset forfeiture and cybercrime.

During the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Tsvetanov presented Attorney General Holder with the highest Bulgarian law enforcement award – the First Degree Valour and Merit Insignia of Honour. The award recognized the Attorney General for “his exceptional merit to the development and enhancement of the co-operation between the Republic of Bulgaria and the United States of America in the area of security and home affairs.”