"Civil rights protections and responsibilities continue to apply even during emergencies. They cannot be waived."
- Press Release in English
- PDF Version of Statement and Resource Guide in English | Español | 繁體字 | 简体字 | Tiếng Việt | 한국어 | Tagalog
- HTML Version of Statement and Resource Guide in English | Español | 繁體字 | 简体字 | Tiếng Việt | 한국어 | Tagalog
Statement by Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Eric S. Dreiband: Protecting Civil Rights While Responding to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)- (Español, 簡體字, 简体字, Tiếng Việt, 한국어, Tagalog, Other)
Ensuring the Rights of Persons with Limited English Proficiency in Health Care During COVID-19 (PDF), Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Español - May, 12, 2020
CDC COVID-19 Information - Español | Other
Statement by the Acting Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Addressing Civil Rights in the Response to H1N1 Influenza - May 7, 2009
American Bar Association, Language Justice During COVID-19 - Article | Webinar - June 2020
Washington State Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Response, Language Access Plan - April 28, 2020
Guidance and Resources
On August 22, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana issued a permanent injunction, available at https://perma.cc/24VN-QS9Y, enjoining the United States Department of Justice (“DOJ”) from imposing or enforcing its disparate impact requirements under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. 2000d (“Title VI”) in the state of Louisiana. Specifically, DOJ is enjoined from “enforcing the Title VI disparate-impact requirements contained in 40 C.F.R. § 7.35(b), (c) and 28 C.F.R. § 42.104(b)(2) against any entity in the State of Louisiana, or requiring compliance with those requirements as a condition of past, existing, or future awards of financial assistance to any entity in the State of Louisiana.” DOJ is fully complying with the court’s order. Unless continued litigation results in changes to the court's order, DOJ will not impose or enforce its Title VI disparate impact requirements in Louisiana.
All DOJ guidance documents, including those here, are valid and apply to Louisiana except to the extent they explain legal obligations arising under the DOJ or EPA Title VI disparate impact regulatory provisions. All recipients of DOJ financial assistance (including those in the state of Louisiana) have a continuing obligation to comply with Title VI, which prohibits discrimination against or otherwise excluding individuals on the basis of race, color, or national origin, all other Title VI implementing regulations, and all grant terms and conditions. Recipients must continue to comply with all other applicable nondiscrimination laws and their corresponding implementing regulations.
- Agencias Federales Emiten Directrices Conjuntas Para Ayudar A Los Proveedores De Preparación, Respuesta Y Recuperación Frente A Emergencias A Cumplir Con El Título Vi De La Ley De Derechos Civiles
- 联邦政府机构签发联合指导，以帮助应急准备、响应和恢复的提供商遵守民权法案第 VI 章的各项规定
- 聯邦政府機構簽發聯合指導，以幫助應急準備、回應和恢復的提供商遵守民權法案第 VI 章的各項規定
- Các Cơ Quan Liên Bang Ban Hành HưỚng DẪn Liên BỘ Giúp Các Đơn VỊ Cung CẤp ChuẨn BỊ SẴn Sàng, Ứng Phó Và PhỤc HỒi KhẨn CẤp Tuân ThỦ Theo Tiêu ĐỀ Vi CỦa ĐẠo LuẬt Dân QuyỀn
- 연방정부 부처들, '비상 대비, 대응, 복구 서비스 제공자들'이 시민의 권리법 제6장을 준수할 수 있도록 돕기 위해 공동 안내서 발행
- Nagpalabas Ang Mga Pederal Na Ahensiya Ng Pinagsamang Gabay Para Tulungan Ang Mga Tagapaglaan Ng Paghahanda Sa Emerhensiya, Tugon At Pag-Recover Na Sumunod Sa Title Vi Ng Civil Rights Act
- Федеральные Власти Выпустили Совместное Руководство, Чтобы Помочь Организациям, Предоставляющим Услуги Подготовки К Чрезвычайным Ситуациям, Реагированию И Восстановлению, В Вопросах Соблюдении Раздела Vi Закона О Гражданских Правах
- Ajans Federal Yo Pibliye Yon Gid Kolaboratif Pou Ede Òganizasyon K Ap Bay Sèvis Preparasyon, Repons Ak Retablisman Nan Yon Ka Ijans Respekte Tit Vi Nan Lwa Ki Rele Civil Rights Act
- Les Agences Fédérales Publient Un Guide Commun Pour Aider Les Intervenants De Protection Civile, D’urgence Et De Reconstruction A Etre Conformes Au Titre Vi De La Loi Sur Les Droits Civils
- وكالات فيدرالية تصدر دليل توجيهي مشترك لمساعدة مقدمي خدمات الاستعداد للطوارئ والاستجابة لها والتعافي منها للامتثال للباب السادس من قانون الحقوق
Guidance
- English- (PDF) (HTML)
- Español (Spanish)- (PDF)
- Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese) (PDF)
- Kreyòl Ayisyen (Haitian Creole) (PDF)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
Ready.gov, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (Spanish)
Fire Prevention and Safety Pictographs, U.S. Fire Administration, Federal Emergency Management Agency
After Hurricane Sandy, FEMA reaches New York’s diverse communities in many languages, FEMA Blog Post - 2012
Hurricane Sandy Public Service Announcements in non-English Languages, Federal Emergency Management Agency (archive links) - 2012
- PSA: Arabic, Chinese, Haitian Creole, Hebrew, Korean, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Vietnamese
- Assistance Videos: Haitian Creole, Hindi, Punjabi, Slovak, Spanish, Urdu
Help After a Disaster: Applicant's Guide to the Individuals & Households Program, Federal Emergency Management Agency (Arabic, Chinese, French, Greek, Haitian Creole, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Laotian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Thai, Urdu, Vietnamese), 2012
Other Resources
How To Best Connect With Your Spanish-speaking Audience During an Emergency, Digital.gov at the General Services Administration (GSA), October 2021
Protecting Your Family from Earthquakes - The Seven Steps to Earthquake Safety Department of Interior, U.S. Geological Survey (English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean), 2007
Language access in emergency and disaster preparedness: An assessment of local government “whole community” efforts in the United States, Tianyi Xiang et al., January 2021
Crisis in a Foreign Language: Emergency Services and Limited English Populations, Amirah M. Majid et al., 2016
Understanding Disaster Preparedness of Linguistically Isolated Groups, City of Houston, Department of Health and Human Services, 2009
Disaster Preparedness in Urban Immigrant Communities, Lessons Learned from Recent Catastrophic Events and Their Relevance to Latino and Asian Communities in Southern California, June 2008