While we find that the vast majority of our institutions comply with the fair lending laws, we are committed to identifying and remedying violations when they occur. Pursuant to the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, if we determine that a bank has engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination, we refer the matter to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).
Federal Reserve referrals have resulted in DOJ public 2/7  BIS central bankers' speeches  actions in critical areas, such as redlining and mortgage-pricing discrimination. For example, in our redlining referrals, the Federal Reserve found that the banks treated majority-minority areas less favorably than non-minority ones, such as through lending patterns, marketing, and Community Reinvestment Act assessment-area delineations.