Issues
Civil Rights Detention
and Targeting of Immigrants
I am concerned that the Administration
is creating an environment in which immigrants feel unwelcome,
and, perhaps more disturbingly, is turning away those Arabs
and Muslims who are probably the most open to learning about
our nation and values and to helping bridge the gulf of misunderstanding
between the United States and the Muslim and Arab worlds.
There's no question that the investigation of the September
11 attacks presented one of the greatest challenges to federal
law enforcement in American history. All Americans are indebted
to federal law enforcement officers for the service they have
performed in the post-September 11th world. But the recent
report of the Justice
Department's Inspector General confirms the concerns about
the treatment of September 11 detainees that I have raised
since October 2001. During oversight hearings held by the
Judiciary Committee (6/25/03
and 7/23/03),
I have followed up on the findings and recommendations of
the IG report and will continue to press the Administration
to address the report's findings and adopt its recommendations.
In the 108th Congress, I was also pleased to cosponsor S.
2528, the Civil Liberties Restoration Act (CLRA) of 2004.
This bill, which was introduced by Senator Edward M. Kennedy
(D-MA), would have restored important constitutional protections
without compromising our nation's security. The legislation
would have narrowed the administration's authority to hold
secret immigration hearings, terminate the National Security
Entry/Exit Registration (NSEERS, or special registration)
program and provide relief to some non-citizens whose immigration
status changed as a result of the program, grant due process
to individuals held on immigration violations, and protect
privacy by requiring all federal agencies to report to Congress
on data-mining programs that they are developing or implementing.
I believe this legislation is vitally important to the health
of our democracy, especially in light of the U.S. Department
of Justice Inspector General's June 2003 report critical of
the administration's conduct in holding non-citizens for long
periods without charge. While our federal government must
do all it can to prevent terrorism, it also has a solemn responsibility
to uphold the principles set forth in the U.S. Constitution.
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the President
Detention
and Targeting of Immigrants
Civil
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