Note from the Acting AAG
As the Acting head of the Civil Rights Division, I join the co-chairs of the Indian Working Group in welcoming you to the Working Group's new website. The website is part of the Division's on-going efforts to protect the civil rights of this Country's Native Americans and Alaskan Natives. I encourage you to take the time to read through the website and learn about the Division's efforts in Indian County and how we can all work together to promote the mission of the Indian Working Group and the Civil Rights Divisions in Indian Country. The Indian Working Group is an important tool in addressing the discrimination that Native Americans and Alaskan Natives have faced for too long.
Thank you for your time and, again, welcome to the Indian Working Group's website.
Vanita Gupta
Acting Assistant Attorney General
Civil Rights Division
Welcome Letter from the IWG Chairpersons
Welcome to the Civil Rights Division's Indian Working Group website!
The Civil Rights Division's Indian Working Group represents every section of the Civil Rights Division. The mission and purpose of the Indian Working Group is to assist the Division in meeting its law enforcement duties and responsibilities to Indian Country and to Native American people. The Working Group exists in part to promote the Division's enforcement, outreach and educational opportunities concerning Native American civil rights issues within the Department of Justice, the Civil Rights Division, and throughout the country. The Working Group also promotes the full inclusion of Native Americans in the Division's work force.
Through the website, we will introduce you to the many facets of the Indian Working Group and of the Division's activities in protecting the civil rights of Native Americans and Alaskan Natives. On the website you can learn about the laws the Division enforces on behalf of Native Americans and Alaskan Native (through our brochure "Protecting the Rights of American Indians and Alaskan Natives") and keep up with the activities of the Indian Working Group and of the various Sections within the Division. The website will be an important resource for any Native American or Alaskan Native who feels that his or her civil rights are in jeopardy. The website will also feature the latest public documents, such as press releases and case briefs that demonstrate the Divisions' commitment to protecting the civil rights of this country's native citizens. The website will be constantly updated with the latest Division happenings in Indian Country.
As co-chairs of the Indian Working Group, we hope you will use this site to learn about the Division's efforts in Indian Country and how you can assist us in those efforts. We encourage anyone to contact us, either by contacting us at the Indian Working Group's email address, indianrights.workinggroup@usdoj.gov, at any of the individual Section sites contained in the brochure, or directly using the contact page.
Thank you for your time and we look forward to continuing our mission to protect the civil rights of our country's Native Americans and Alaskan Natives.
Sincerely,
Susana Lorenzo-Giguere
Verlin Deerinwater
IWG Chairpersons