The Justice Department said
Tuesday it was establishing its first civil rights unit in Alabama, a
move that comes after the state's crackdown on illegal
immigration raised broader concerns about compliance with federal laws.
While the unit wasn't formed as a
direct result of Alabama'simmigration law — parts of which have been
blocked by federal courts — officials said it would examine issues
related to immigrants and also matters involving fair housing laws,
police brutality claims, compliance with federal disability laws and
minority protection.
Attorneys from the unit based in
Birmingham will be responsible for both criminal prosecutions and civil
lawsuits to enforce civil rights laws.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Perez
said the unit will ensure that the federal government has a continuing
eye on civil rights issues in Alabama, which was a hotbed of unrest
during the civil rights movement half a century ago.
"This is about sustainability ...
of civil rights enforcement," Perez said during a news conference held
at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute.
Birmingham is the eighth U.S.
city out of 94 with U.S. attorney offices to have a civil rights unit.
The nearest similar unit is in Memphis, Tenn.
U.S. Attorney Joyce Vance said
the department's work investigating effects of the immigration law
resulted in new relationships in Alabama between government attorneys
and the public and the realization that more work was needed on civil
rights oversight.
"We rounded out our affiliations with members of the civil rights community," she said.
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