United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division

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The U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division is the institution within the federal government responsible for enforcing federal statutes prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, sex, disability, religion, and national origin. The Division was established in 1957 and is currently headed by Assistant Attorney General Wan J. Kim.

The Division enforces

the Civil Rights Acts of 1957, 1960, 1964, and 1968
the Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended through 1992
the Equal Credit Opportunity Act
the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
the National Voter Registration Act of 1993
the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act
the Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act of 1984

and additional civil rights provisions contained in other laws and regulations. These laws prohibit discrimination in education, employment, credit, housing, public accommodations and facilities, voting, and certain federally funded and conducted programs.

The Division also enforces

the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act of 1980, which authorizes the Attorney General to seek relief for persons confined in public institutions where conditions exist that deprive residents of their constitutional rights
the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act
the Police Misconduct Provision of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994
Section 102 of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA), as amended, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of national origin and citizenship status as well as document abuse and retaliation under the Immigration and Nationality Act.

In addition, the Division prosecutes actions under several criminal civil rights statutes which were designed to preserve personal liberties and safety.