The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights Issues Statements and Letters Regarding Important Civil Rights Issues

U.S. Commission on Civil Rights Logo. (PRNewsFoto/U.S. Commission on Civil Rights) (PRNewsFoto/)

The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, by majority vote, adopted several key civil rights positions:

• Urging the 116th Congress to prioritize civil rights oversight and legislation because of the pressing need to restore our national commitment to civil rights principles. The Commission’s recent work on issues ranging from voting rights, to education equity, to workplace protections for LGBT individuals, to access to justice, among other critical areas, shows that Congress can and should do more to ensure that all Americans’ civil rights are protected;
• Warning against attempts to end citizenship for native born children of non-citizens, and opposing the latest in a troubling pattern of statements and policy proposals expressing hostility and animus toward immigrants or their nations of origin;
• Urging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services not to narrowly define gender to a biological condition at birth, as it would have serious negative impacts on the health, welfare, and civil rights of members of the transgender community;
• Submitting formal comment urging the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to reconsider DHS’ Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding inadmissibility to the United States on public charge grounds. The proposed rule communicates government animus against multiple marginalized communities such as people with limited English proficiency, LGBT individuals, and people with disabilities. The proposed rule may undermine the equity principles that are foundational to our country by preferring immigration that values only income and wealth rather than celebrating economic opportunity that follows from hard work.

The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, established by the Civil Rights Act of 1957, is the only independent, bipartisan agency charged with advising the President and Congress on civil rights matters and reporting annually on civil rights. Our 51 state Advisory Committees offer a broad perspective on civil rights concerns at state and local levels. For more information, please visit www.usccr.gov and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

SOURCE U.S. Commission on Civil Rights