1. Engaging Key Communities  
CRCL assists our dedicated DHS colleagues to secure our country while preserving our freedoms and our way of life.  
We provide legal and policy advice to DHS leadership on issues at the intersection of Homeland Security and civil rights.
Re: radicalization -- We believe promoting civic engagement can help reduce the or even prevent the feelings of isolation and alienation that some believe are necessary precursors for radicalization.
Work with a variety of communities, immigration advocates, disability community.
Work with Arab, Muslim, Sikh, South Asian, Middle Eastern Americans.
Considering moving to issue-specific rubrics.

2. Protecting Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division
Initiative to Combat Post-9/11 Discriminatory Backlash
Special Counsel
Hate Crimes – The Department has investigated more than 800 bias-motivated incidents since 9-11 involving violence or threats against individuals perceived to be Muslim, or of Arab, Middle Eastern, or South Asian origin. We have obtained 35 federal convictions in such cases. Five defendants are currently pending trial. The Department also has assisted local law enforcement in bringing more than 160 such criminal prosecutions.

3. Investigate Complaints
Role of CRCL:
6 U.S.C 345
Constitutional & Statutory Rights
Discrimination/Profiling
Conditions of Detention
Screening
Traveler Redress -
Complaints – The Homeland Security Act states that the Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, who shall report directly to the Secretary, shall review and assess information concerning abuses of civil rights, civil liberties, and profiling on the basis of race, ethnicity, or religion, by employees and officials of the department.

4. Community Roundtables
Chicago
Community-Government forums in key cities.
- CRCL has targeted 6 key cities.
Colleagues have such forums in several other cities.
Detroit
Buffalo
Boston
New York/New Jersey
Los Angeles
Outreach/Engagement – The Homeland Security Act also requires us to publicize our office and give information on how to file a complaint. Thus, community outreach continues to play a major role in our work. There are many reasons for this, but 2 major reasons stand out:
First, by meeting regularly with communities, we become sensitive to cultural and religious considerations, which frankly allows us to do our jobs better;
Second, outreach allows us to learn first hand what the issues of concern are, and report these to our leadership.
2. Roundtable Meetings: We have engaged in a great deal of outreach to community leaders in cities like Los Angeles, Houston, Buffalo, Detroit, Chicago, and Washington.
San Diego
Washington, DC
Houston

5. Cultural Competency Policy vs. the Implementation of Policy,
Our Office prepared a CD-ROM that gives our law enforcement officers a tutorial on our policy prohibiting unlawful racial profiling. The tutorial takes about minutes, taking the officers through a series of hypothetical fact patterns.
Head covering posters; Arab/Muslim cultures DVDs.

6. Cultural Competency Hajj Travel Information
Helped CBP and TSA issue guidance in preparation for the Hajj.
Stress that this is not sensitivity, cultural competency.

7. Civil Service
Mantra: Not part of the problem, but part of the solution.
S1 supports
Speaking before ADL, he said “And that's why reaching out to embrace these communities – Arab communities, Muslim communities, and South Asian communities – is so important to us. We need to make sure that everybody in this country, whatever their religious belief and ethnic background, feels connected to the American way and to the government. We have to listen to their concerns and ideas. We have to encourage people from these communities to join public service, to become part of the FBI, or DHS, or part of the military, so that they have a full stake in the venture and nobody feels excluded.”

8. Civil Service
* FBI/DHS Internship program

9. DHS Incident Community Coordination Team
With American, Arab, Muslim, Sikh, South Asian, and Middle Eastern American Communities
Incident Community Coordination Team: This is a mechanism that allows us to connect with community leaders immediately after an attack or natural disaster.
Can deal with backlash issues, also a mechanism to provide information or feedback. POTUS’ use of Islamofacism following Airliner Plot
We have conducted a joint tabletop exercise with community members, and have actually used this process following the JFK and Fort Dix arrests.

10. Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
Shaarik H. Zafar
Senior Policy Advisor
Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
Department of Homeland Security
Threat Briefing
Terminology
Internet