U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties

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U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office
for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties

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THE BEGINNING

• September 11, 2001 Terrorists attack America.
• October 8, 2001 President George W. Bush creates
  White House Office of Homeland Security.
• June 2002 President George W. Bush introduces to
  Congress his proposal for a new Department.
• November 2002 Congress passes the Homeland
  Security Bill.
• November 25, 2002 President Bush signs the
  Homeland Security Act into law.
• January 24, 2003 The Department of Homeland
  Security is born.
• March 1, 2003 Majority of the affected agencies
  join the new Department of Homeland Security.

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PURPOSE

• Homeland security functions traditionally have
  been dispersed among dozens of federal agencies
  and thousands of first responder groups across
  America.
• DHS streamlines and centralizes federal actions
  into one cohesive unit. It provides one point of
  contact for state and local groups and the
  private sector.
• The result is a better prepared America.

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OUR VISION and MISSION

• Preserving our freedoms, protecting America
  .we secure our homeland.
• We will lead the unified national effort to
  secure America. We will prevent and deter
  terrorist attacks and protect against and respond
  to threats and hazards to the nation. We will
  ensure safe and secure borders, welcome lawful
  immigrants and visitors, and promote the
  free-flow of commerce.

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Executive Secretary
Commandant of Coast Guard
Legislative Affairs
Secretary ---------------------------------- Deput
y Secretary
Inspector General
Public Affairs
General Counsel
State and Local Coordination
Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
Citizenship Immigration Service Ombudsman
Director, Bureau of Citizenship Immigration
Services
Special Assistant to the Secretary (private
sector)
Director of the Secret Service
Privacy Officer
National Capital Region Coordination
Small Disadvantaged Business
Chief of Staff
International Affairs
Shared Services
Counter Narcotics
Under Secretary Science and Technology
Under Secretary Border Transportation Security
Under Secretary Emergency Preparedness and
Response
Under Secretary Management
Under Secretary Information Analysis and
Infrastructure Protection
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Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties

• The mission of the Office is to protect civil
  rights and civil liberties and to support
  homeland security by providing the Department
  with constructive legal and policy advice on the
  full range of civil rights and civil liberties
  issues the Department will face, and by serving
  as an information and communication channel with
  the public regarding all aspects of these issues.

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Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties

• Daniel W. Sutherland was appointed by President
  Bush on April 22, 2003. Served fourteen years
  with the Civil Rights Division of the U.S.
  Department of Justice and nearly two years with
  the Office for Civil Rights at the U.S.
  Department of Education. He has co-authored
  Religion in the Workplace, a book published in
  1998 by the American Bar Association, and has
  served at the White House, with the Domestic
  Policy Council, and at the Bush-Cheney Transition
  headquarters. Mr. Sutherland is a graduate of
  the University of Virginia School of Law and the
  University of Louisville.

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What we do

• Advise Secretary Ridge and the senior leadership
  of the Department on a full range of civil rights
  and civil liberties issues
• Create a state-of-the-art EEO program
• Review matters that warrant investigation

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Scope of Issues A Sampling

• Racial profiling how should DHS personnel use
  race or ethnicity in law enforcement activities?
• Training how can we strengthen training for DHS
  law enforcement personnel on the Constitution and
  federal civil rights laws?
• Detention how can we implement the Inspector
  Generals recommendations concerning the
  detention of aliens after September 11?

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Scope of Issues, Continued

• Technology how can we ensure civil liberties
  protections with regard to technological
  developments such as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles?
• Intelligence how can we assist in the creation
  of the Terrorist Screening Center?

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DHS and People with Disabilities

• A model place of employment
• DHS is committed to being a model workplace
  for people with disabilities.
• - Recruitment
• - Equal Opportunity to Compete for Jobs
• - Training Managers
• - Internships for students
• - Retention

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DHS and People with Disabilities

• DHS is committed to integrating people with
  disabilities into the homeland security effort
• - Increasing the role of special needs
  populations in emergency preparedness and
  planning
• - Working with private organizations who have
  key knowledge of these issues
• - Increasing our ability to communicate with
  special needs populations to get them
  information on homeland security that they need,
  and to listen to their concerns and
  recommendations

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DHS and People with Disabilities

• Ensure proper screening of people with
  disabilities at airports
• Ensure the Department has a vigorous Section 508
  program

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• SO WHAT?

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• Any ideas or suggestions that you have for us
  would be greatly appreciated.
• Daniel W. Sutherland Daniel.Sutherland_at_dhs.gov
• 692-4252
• Claudia Gordon Claudia.Gordon_at_dhs.gov
• 401-0668

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