As protests rage across the country, demonstrators are arrested and there is much discussion in the media about civil rights. Americans enjoy civil liberties which allow them to protest and petition the government. They also have the right to due process if they are accused of a crime. An employer or landlord is considered to be in violation of a person’s civil rights if they discriminate against them for race, sex, religion, or age.
There are many things that can be construed as a violation of civil rights. There are a few typical examples of which you should be aware.
Obstruction of Justice and False Arrest
Unfortunately, many people are unjustly incarcerated every year. People of color are disproportionately the victims of false arrest and obstruction of justice.
Police sometimes stop and question a person just because of their ethnicity. This is considered racial profiling and it is illegal. Both the police and private security have been known to falsely arrest and imprison individuals. Recently, federal agents in Portland, Oregon have been reported to drive around in unmarked vans and arrest, question, and release certain protesters without any apparent probable cause.
Voter Rights Violations
Every United States citizen who is over 18 years of age has the right to register and vote. The last presidential election was wrought with controversy and has many people questioning their voting rights.
If you arrived at the polls only to find that they had no record of your voter registration, you should have been offered a provisional ballot that you could fill out while your voting records were reviewed.
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 prohibited discriminatory voting practices. In spite of this, there have been many blatant violations. In 2001 Alderman in Kilmichael, Mississippi canceled an election due to a large number of black candidates. There have been repeated attempts in the state of Texas to eliminate polling places out of predominantly black neighborhoods.
Denying Housing
Both the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Civil Rights Act, and The Fair Housing Act protect people from discrimination in housing. In spite of this, discrimination is very common in the housing market. Major rental real estate companies have been accused of not leasing to black tenants. There are still apartments and office buildings in the country that have not made ADA modifications.
Discrimination in housing may be blatant or subtle. The landlord may flat-out deny you housing or a racial group may be regulated to a certain section of a complex. a person of color may not get maintenance in the same timely manner that other tenants do.
Denying Employment
Discrimination in employment happens when a person is passed up for recruitment, hiring, or promotion based on their race, religion, age, sex, or gender. It may also take place when a person in a protected class is not provided with training that is offered to other employees or not invited to participate in certain company activities.
Finding an Attorney
In spite of many reports of civil rights violations in the state of New York, civil rights attorneys are fairly few and far between. If you feel your civil rights have been violated, it is important to find an attorney who is well-versed in the type of discrimination that you have experienced.
You can get more information here: https://www.najmilaw.com/civil-rights/.
