The civil rights boss of the Obama administration was in Sacramento on Friday to visit with various segments of the community on matters of mutual interest.
In a brief interview at the end of a whirlwind schedule, Thomas Perez, assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Justice Department, said he talked with advocates for financially distressed borrowers about the flood of foreclosure scams that has washed over the region. . . .
U.S. Attorney Benjamin Wagner noted that the federal courts are clogged with private litigation initiated by individual borrowers against banks and other lenders, and said these lawsuits could prove valuable in uncovering civil rights violations.
Perez said he also talked with members of a regional task force targeting human trafficking to learn how civil rights laws might be brought to bear on these crimes. . . .
The last stop of the day for Perez and Wagner was the Islamic Center of Davis to discuss issues of concern to the area's Muslim community. They estimated that 150 attended the meeting.
"I want to send a very clear message that the Justice Department is not all about terrorism; that the civil rights of all citizens, including Muslims, is a main priority in enforcing the laws of this country," said Perez.