Criminal Justice (Civil Rights) in United States

in committee · United States · House Feb 4, 2026

HR 7290: Qualified Immunity Accountability Act

This bill, known as the Qualified Immunity Accountability Act, aims to limit legal protections for law enforcement officers accused of violating civil rights. It directly affects federal and local law enforcement officers by removing qualified immunity as a defense in civil rights lawsuits. The legislation modifies federal law to hold officers accountable for acts committed knowingly or recklessly, rather than only willfully, and expands the definition of death-related cases to include situations where the officer's actions were a substantial factor in the death. Additionally, it eliminates qualified immunity for officers acting in good faith or when rights were not clearly established at the time of the incident, making it easier for plaintiffs to sue officers for civil rights violations.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Civil Rights Law Enforcement Policing

in committee · United States · Senate Mar 5, 2026

S 4006: Fair Housing for Survivors Act of 2026

This bill expands protections under the Fair Housing Act to include survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and sex trafficking as a protected class. It requires landlords and housing providers to treat discrimination against these survivors the same way they treat discrimination based on race or national origin. The legislation also updates definitions to include dating violence, stalking, and threatened violence, and strengthens anti-intimidation provisions to cover coercion related to housing. These changes aim to prevent survivors from being evicted or denied housing due to their status as victims of violence.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Housing

Sub-Topics Civil Rights Domestic Violence Human Trafficking Tenant Rights

in committee · United States · Senate Mar 4, 2026

S 3997: Homeland Security Improvement Act

This bill, titled the Homeland Security Improvement Act, creates a new independent commission to oversee border security activities and improve transparency within the Department of Homeland Security. The commission would consist of 30 members appointed by congressional leaders and would include representatives from border communities, civil rights groups, law enforcement, and tribal officials to evaluate policies and make recommendations. The bill also establishes an Ombudsman office to handle complaints from individuals affected by border and immigration enforcement, provides mandatory training for border agents focused on civil rights and community relations, and requires detailed data collection on border stops and enforcement actions to improve accountability.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Civil Rights Law Enforcement Policing Tags Government Transparency

in committee · United States · House Jan 12, 2026

HR 7020: District of Columbia Courts and Public Defender Service Employment Non-Discrimination Act

This bill extends the District of Columbia's existing anti-discrimination protections to nonjudicial employees of D.C. courts and the Public Defender Service. It amends D.C. law to explicitly include these employees under the Human Rights Act, treating their workplaces as covered employers. Complaints about discrimination filed against these entities will now follow the same process as for other D.C. government agencies, rather than separate procedures. The change applies to complaints filed on or after the bill's enactment date.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Civil Rights Employment Discrimination

in committee · United States · House Jul 24, 2025

HR 4667: VISIBLE Act

HR 4667, the VISIBLE Act, requires U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and other authorized immigration officers to visibly display their agency name and either their last name or unique badge number during all public immigration enforcement activities (such as stops, arrests, raids, or checkpoints). This identification must be clearly legible from 25 feet away on outer clothing, not obscured by gear, and officers cannot wear face coverings that hide their face during public interactions unless for covert operations or hazardous conditions. The bill mandates DHS to discipline non-compliant officers and submit annual reports to Congress detailing enforcement activities, violations, and disciplinary actions. It also directs DHS’s Civil Rights Office to investigate public complaints about noncompliance.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Immigration

Sub-Topics Civil Rights Driver Licenses & IDs Enforcement Sanctuary Policies

in committee · United States · House Jun 4, 2025

HR 3739: No Loan Forgiveness for Terrorists Act of 2025

HR 3739, the "No Loan Forgiveness for Terrorists Act of 2025," amends the Higher Education Act to exclude certain organizations from qualifying for federal public service loan forgiveness (PSLF). It defines "public service job" to exclude employment with organizations that engage in specific illegal activities, including aiding immigration law violations (like illegal border crossings), materially supporting terrorism (including funding cartels or violent acts), facilitating child abuse (such as chemical castration or trafficking children), engaging in illegal discrimination, or violating state tort laws (like trespassing or vandalism). This change directly affects borrowers working for organizations meeting these criteria, barring them from PSLF eligibility. The bill creates a concrete policy exclusion based on employer conduct, not individual employee actions.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✗ Immigration

Sub-Topics Civil Rights Border Security

in committee · United States · Senate Jun 12, 2025

S 2070: Insurrection Act of 2025

The Insurrection Act of 2025 establishes specific conditions under which the President may deploy military forces domestically to address insurrections, rebellions, or widespread violence that overwhelm state and local authorities. It requires the President to consult Congress, issue a proclamation ordering lawbreakers to disperse, and submit a detailed report before deployment, with congressional approval needed within 7 days. The bill specifically protects voting rights by requiring that military deployment to address voting rights violations must comply with the Voting Rights Act of 1965. It also prohibits using National Guard members on training or other duty for domestic deployments. This legislation directly affects the President, Congress, state authorities, and military operations.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Civil Rights

passed · United States · House Nov 18, 2025

HR 2261: Strengthening Oversight of DHS Intelligence Act

HR 2261 amends the Homeland Security Act to strengthen privacy and civil rights protections in Department of Homeland Security (DHS) intelligence operations. It requires DHS to ensure intelligence information is shared, retained, and disseminated in ways that protect privacy rights and civil liberties, as determined by the Chief Privacy Officer and the Civil Rights Officer. The bill mandates training for intelligence personnel on privacy laws (like the Privacy Act of 1974) and requires coordination with the Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis to implement these standards. This directly affects DHS intelligence staff handling or disseminating information under the law. The changes apply to existing DHS intelligence processes without creating new programs or funding.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Civil Rights

in committee · United States · House Dec 18, 2025

HR 6857: Protecting Students on Campus Act of 2025

HR 6857 requires all colleges and universities receiving federal funds to prominently display a link to the Department of Education’s civil rights complaint portal on their website homepage and to post annual Title VI awareness materials in high-traffic campus locations (like student centers) and on campus websites. The bill mandates these institutions to annually report discrimination complaints (based on race, color, or national origin) to the Department of Education’s Inspector General. It also requires the Department to provide monthly congressional briefings on complaint volumes and resolution timelines, while the Inspector General must audit institutions with the highest complaint rates and study why some complaints go to schools versus the federal office. This directly affects every federally funded higher education institution in the U.S. by changing how they handle and report civil rights complaints.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Education

Sub-Topics Civil Rights Higher Education

in committee · United States · House Mar 16, 2026

HRES 1116: Commemorating the 5-year remembrance of the March 16, 2021, shootings in the Atlanta, Georgia, region and denouncing continuing anti-Asian hate, including the resurgence of xenophobic and anti-immigrant rhetoric.

This resolution commemorates the fifth anniversary of the March 16, 2021, Atlanta spa shootings that killed eight people and denounces ongoing anti-Asian hate and xenophobic rhetoric. It honors the victims, condemns the violence, and calls for improved hate crime reporting and support services for affected communities. The measure also urges efforts to combat online disinformation, promote education on Asian American history, and expand federal programs aimed at preventing hate crimes.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Civil Rights

All criminal justice bills