Department of Homeland Security Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Authorization Act

This legislation significantly enhances the authority, responsibilities, and independence of the Department of Homeland Security's Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL) and its Officer. It mandates that the Officer report directly to the Secretary of Homeland Security, ensuring a higher level of autonomy and influence within the Department. The bill also requires that the Officer and component-level civil rights officers receive the necessary information, materials, and staffing to effectively carry out their functions. A key provision ensures the Officer is consulted in advance on any new or proposed changes to policies, programs, or activities that could impact civil rights or civil liberties. This proactive engagement aims to integrate protections from the outset, rather than as an afterthought. The Officer is also granted full and complete access to all Department materials and personnel required for their duties. The bill expands the Officer's responsibilities to include overseeing compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements, reviewing abuses, and integrating civil rights protections into all DHS activities. It explicitly authorizes the Officer to investigate complaints of civil rights or civil liberties abuses by Department employees, establishing a clear process for referral to the Inspector General and potential concurrent investigations. Furthermore, the Office must conduct assessments of new regulations and periodically review existing policies. To promote transparency, the Office is required to make publicly available summaries of its investigations, assessments, and recommendations, while protecting personally identifiable information. The legislation also emphasizes community engagement , tasking the Officer with informing affected individuals and stakeholders about DHS policies and providing feedback to Department leadership. This includes leading the Department's language access work to ensure effective communication. The bill mandates the hiring or designation of dedicated civil rights and civil liberties officers within each DHS component, with the Department's Officer participating in their selection and performance review. Finally, the Officer must submit an annual report to Congress detailing assessments, recommendations, community engagement efforts, and staffing levels. The legislation also calls for a Comptroller General review of the community engagement provisions within two years of enactment.