The Justice Department is poised to forbid federal agents from profiling by religion, national origin, gender and sexual orientation, according to The New York Times.
Citing an unnamed official, the Times reports the move will expand the government’s definition of profiling, responding to criticism that federal authorities have singled out Muslims in counterterrorism investigations and Latinos in immigration investigations. It’s unclear when the change will happen.
The government prohibited racial profiling in 2003, but the ban only applied to race and not origins, and could be lifted in cases of national security.