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  Homeland Security Enterprise
  Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
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     Academic Engagement
                
                    
                    
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      Our Commitment to Implementing Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act Across DHSEmergencies and Disasters
                
                    
      
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      Veterans and Homeland SecurityDisability Access at the Department of Homeland Security
DHS is committed to strengthening and supporting full inclusion and equal opportunity for persons with disabilities in its programs and activities, through enforcement and compliance with requirements of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, including Section 504 of the Act which states:

"No otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the United States...shall, solely by reason of her or his disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance or under any program or activity conducted by any Executive agency..." 29 U.S.C. § 794.
      
      DHS Regulation, Policy, and Guidance
      Consistent with the principles of Section 504, the Department has issued the following policy and guidance to strengthen access and nondiscrimination for individuals with disabilities in programs and activities conducted by DHS:

Enforcement of Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in Programs or Activities Conducted by the Department of Homeland Security
	DHS Management Directive on Nondiscrimination for Individuals with Disabilities in DHS-Conducted Programs and Activities
	DHS Instruction on Nondiscrimination for Individuals with Disabilities in DHS-Conducted Programs and Activities
	DHS Component Self-Evaluation and Planning Reference Guide
              Component Disability Access Plans
      Under DHS Directive 065-01 and in coordination with the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, each DHS Component and office that interacts with the public developed its own individual Disability Access Plan for strengthening compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Components developed these plans to address potential barriers and gaps in disability access identified in their self-evaluations. Additional Component Plans will be posted here once they have been prepared in an accessible PDF format.

DHS Disability Access Component Highlights
	U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
	Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman (CISOMB)
	Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL)
	Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
	Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC)
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	Office of Partnerships and Engagement (OPE)
	Privacy Office (PRIV)
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              Component Resources
      DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties

CRCL's Antidiscrimination Group engages in policy work to ensure fair and equitable treatment of individuals and guard against discrimination based on race, color, national origin (including limited English proficiency), disability, sex, and age in DHS programs and activities in accordance with federal civil rights laws and regulations. The Antidiscrimination Group provides technical assistance to DHS Components, coordinates with federal partners on implementing laws, and engages with community stakeholders.
	The DHS Disability Access Working Group****was established to further the Department's commitment to the principles of the Rehabilitation Act and full inclusion and equal access for individuals with disabilities in DHS programs and activities. Through this Working Group, Components work together to share strategies for effective communication, program accessibility, physical accessibility, and reasonable accommodations and modifications for individuals with disabilities; and then coordinate the use of these approaches across the Department.
	DHS Commemorates the 40th Anniversary of the Rehabilitation Act, Blog by Acting Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Officer Tamara Kessler (September 2013)
	DHS Celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the Rehabilitation Act, Blog by Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Officer Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia (September 2023)
	Readout: DHS Disability Stakeholder Listening Session (September 2023)
	Guide to Interacting with People Who Have DisabilitiesFederal Emergency Management Agency

Office of Disability Integration and Coordination
	Office of Equal Rights, Civil Rights ProgramTransportation Security Administration

TSA Traveler Information, Travelers with Disabilities and Medical Conditions
              Other Resources
      U.S. Department of Justice
	CivilRights Division, Disability Rights Section
	Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability and Inclusion
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	National Council on Disability
              Contact Us
      Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
2707 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave., SE
Mail Stop #0190
Washington, DC 20528-0190

**Phone:** 202-401-1474 | 1-866-644-8360 (toll free)**TTY:** 202-401-0470 | 1-866-644-8361 (toll free)**Fax:** 202-401-4708**E-mail:**crcl@dhs.gov
  
    
    TopicsCivil Rights and Civil LibertiesKeywordsCivil Rights
              Disability

    Last Updated: 03/06/2024
  
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