{"id":1014,"date":"2004-06-16T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2004-06-16T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/multiracial.com\/wp\/index.php\/2004\/06\/16\/letter-sent-to-representatives-berman-and-delahunt-re-clra\/"},"modified":"2021-06-09T18:01:47","modified_gmt":"2021-06-09T18:01:47","slug":"letter-sent-to-representatives-berman-and-delahunt-re-clra","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/multiracial.com\/index.php\/2004\/06\/16\/letter-sent-to-representatives-berman-and-delahunt-re-clra\/","title":{"rendered":"Coalition Letter sent to Representatives Berman and Delahunt re: CLRA"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><center><\/p>\n<h4>June 16, 2004<br \/>Letter sent to Representatives Berman and Delahunt upon introduction of the  Civil Liberties Restoration Act (CLRA) of 2004<\/h4>\n<p><\/center><\/p>\n<p> <center><a href=\"http:\/\/www.multiracial.com\/letters\/2004-06-16house.doc\">MS Word version available here.<\/a><\/center> <\/p>\n<p> June 16, 2004<\/p>\n<p> Dear Representatives:<\/p>\n<p> The undersigned organizations write to express our support for the Civil Liberties Restoration Act (CLRA) of 2004. Our organizations represent a diverse and growing movement in communities nationwide who believe that the United States can meet new security demands while preserving fundamental liberties and American values of fairness and equal treatment for all. Although we differ in our missions and mandates, we come together around these principles to endorse this important legislation.<\/p>\n<p>  Many of the actions taken by Congress, the Administration, and law enforcement in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks represent reasonable responses to the terrorist threat.  However, other measures violated basic liberties.  For example, after September 11th, hundreds of Arab and Muslim immigrants with no connection to terrorism were arrested and detained for weeks and months.  The jailed individuals\u2019 names were withheld from the public and their deportation hearings kept secret \u2013 in short, a system of secret detention that fosters abuse.  A Department of Justice (DOJ) Inspector General report subsequently confirmed that many were held for prolonged periods without charge; that the DOJ adopted a policy of denying bond to every detainee without any evidence of connections to terrorism or risk of flight; that many were denied access to a lawyer and held in excessively harsh conditions; and that some were physically and verbally abused by prison guards.<\/p>\n<p> These and other measures do not enhance national security; rather, they violate our tradition of due process, alienate immigrant communities, and undermine U.S. efforts to promote democracy, human rights, and the rule of law abroad. The CLRA will help protect core values at home while demonstrating to the world that the United States takes seriously the rights of people it detains.  The CLRA will:<\/p>\n<li>End the government\u2019s ability to issue a blanket order closing all deportation hearings to the public and to family members of detainees, while permitting the closure of hearings or a portion of hearings on a case-by-case basis to preserve the confidentiality of asylum applications or when national security interests so require.\n<li>Provide minimum due process safeguards to individuals who are jailed on suspicion of immigration violations by giving them timely notice of the charges against them and assure that immigration authorities and judges make fair, individualized bond determinations.\n<li>Establish an independent immigration court within the Department of Justice and promote fair hearings by a competent, independent and impartial tribunal.\n<li>Facilitate better law enforcement practices by requiring that the National Crime Information Center database relied upon daily by state and local law enforcement complies with minimum accuracy requirements.\n<li>Terminate the troubled National Security Entry-Exit Registration System while encouraging fairness and a concentrated focus on those who pose a threat to the national security or safety of Americans.\n<li>Assign reasonable penalties, commensurate to the technical nature of the violations, for non-citizens\u2019 failure to register or provide timely notification of address changes.\n<li>Ensure that people who are charged with a crime based upon national security surveillance will see the evidence against them in the same manner as people charged with a crime based upon other kinds of classified information.\n<li>Require the government to submit a public report to Congress on data-mining activities in order to protect the privacy and due process rights of individuals and to ensure accurate information is collected and used.\n<li>Amend the USA PATRIOT Act to limit the secret seizure of private databases and individual records to cases where the government has shown there is a reasonable connection to a suspected terrorist or terrorist group.\n<p> The CLRA promotes the integrity of the American system of justice and reaffirms our commitment to core constitutional values.  The CLRA moves the United States forward at this important time with a clear understanding that upholding basic rights and the rule of law is essential to our long-term success in countering terrorism and creating a safer and more stable world.  We commend your leadership in introducing this critical piece of legislation and look forward to working with you in moving this measure to enactment.<\/p>\n<p> Sincerely, <\/p>\n<p> <b>National Organizations<\/b><br \/> 605 Citizenship Project<br \/> American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC)<br \/> American Civil Liberties Union<br \/> Alliance For Justice<br \/> American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)<br \/> American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)<br \/> American Library Association<br \/> American Muslim Council<br \/> American Muslim Voice<br \/> American Voices Abroad (AVA)<br \/> Americans for Religious Liberty (ARL)<br \/> Amnesty International USA<br \/> Arab American Institute (AAI)<br \/> Asian &#038; Pacific Islander American Health Forum<br \/> Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund<br \/> Asian Law Caucus<br \/> Association of Pakistani Physicians of North America (APPNA)<br \/> Association of Research Libraries<br \/> Bill of Rights Defense Committee (BORDC)<br \/> Center for American Progress<br \/> Center for Constitutional Rights<br \/> Center for Democracy &#038; Technology<br \/> Center for National Security Studies<br \/> Code Pink Women for Peace<br \/> Consumer Action<br \/> Council on American-Islamic Relations<br \/> Freedom of Information Center<br \/> Freedom to Read Foundation (sister organization to the American Library Association)<br \/> Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL)<br \/> Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS)<br \/> Hmong National Development, Inc. (HND)<br \/> Homeland Democracy<br \/> Human Rights First<br \/> Human Rights Watch<br \/> Immigrant Legal Resource Center<br \/> Indian American Center for Political Awareness<br \/> Interfaith Alliance<br \/> International Association of Educators for World Peace (U.S. Branch)<br \/> Japanese American Citizens League<br \/> Jesuit Refugee Service\/USA<br \/> Korean American Coalition<br \/> Lawyers&#8217; Committee for Civil Rights<br \/> Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR)<br \/> Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service<br \/> Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF)<br \/> The Multiracial Activist (TMA)<br \/> National Asian Pacific American Bar Association<br \/> National Asian Pacific American Legal Consortium (NAPALC)<br \/> National Asian Pacific American Women&#8217;s Forum<br \/> National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers<br \/> National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (NCAPACD)<br \/> National Council of La Raza (NCLR)<br \/> National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA)<br \/> National Immigration Forum<br \/> National Immigration Law Center<br \/> National Korean American Service &#038; Education Consortium (NAKASEC)<br \/> National Lawyers Guild<br \/> National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights<br \/> National Writers Union\/UAW L.U. 1981<br \/> Open Society Institute<br \/> Pakistani American Public Affairs Committee (PAKPAC)<br \/> PeaceRoots Alliance<br \/> People For the American Way<br \/> Presbyterian Church (USA)<br \/> Privacy Activism<br \/> Rhetoricians for Peace<br \/> Service Employees International Union, AFL-CIO, CLC<br \/> Sikh Coalition<br \/> Sikh Mediawatch and Resource Task Force (SMART)<br \/> Society of American Law Teachers<br \/> South Asian American Leaders of Tomorrow (SAALT)<br \/> Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (UUAC)<br \/> Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC)<br \/> United Church of Christ, Justice and Witness Ministries<br \/> UNITED SIKHS<br \/> VotersUnite!<\/p>\n<p> <b>Local Organizations<\/b><br \/> Albuquerque Center for Peace and Justice, Albuquerque, New Mexico<br \/> American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, Los Angeles\/Orange County Chapter, Anaheim, California<br \/> American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado, Denver, Colorado<br \/> American Civil Liberties Union &#8212; Douglas County Chapter, Lawrence, Kansas<br \/> American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, Austin, Texas<br \/> Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services, Dearborn, Michigan<br \/> Asian Pacific American Legal Center of Southern California, Los Angeles, California<br \/> Big Sky Civil Liberties Committee, Montana<br \/> Bill of Rights Defense Committee, Bastrop County, Texas<br \/> Bill of Rights Defense Committee, Benton County, Corvallis, Oregon<br \/> Bill of Rights Defense Committee, Conway, Massachusetts<br \/> Blazing Ballerina Productions, Brooklyn, New York<br \/> Brazilian Immigrant Center, Allston, Massachusetts<br \/> Central Jersey Coalition Against Endless War, North Brunswick, New Jersey<br \/> Coalition Against War and Injustice (CAWI), Baton Rouge, Louisiana<br \/> Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California<br \/> Concord (Massachusetts) Civil Liberties Committee, Concord, Massachusetts<br \/> Council of Pakistan Organizations (COPO), Brooklyn, New York<br \/> Council on American-Islamic Relations, Arizona Chapter (CAIR-AZ), Phoenix, Arizona<br \/> Council on American-Islamic Relations, Florida Chapter (CAIR-Florida), Davie, Florida<br \/> Council on American-Islamic Relations, Michigan Chapter (CAIR-Michigan), Southfield, Michigan<br \/> Council on American-Islamic Relations, New Jersey Chapter (CAIR-NJ), New Jersey<br \/> Council on American-Islamic Relations, New York Chapter (CAIR-NY), New York, New York<br \/> Council on American-Islamic Relations, Ohio Chapter (CAIR-OH), Columbus, Ohio<br \/> Council on American-Islamic Relations, San Antonio, Texas Chapter, San Antonio, Texas<br \/> Council on American-Islamic Relations, San Diego, California (CAIR-San Diego), San Diego, California<br \/> Council on American-Islamic Relations, San Francisco Bay Area Chapter (CAIR, SFBA), San Francisco, California<br \/> Council on American-Islamic Relations, Southern California Chapter (CAIR-LA), Anaheim, California<br \/> Dharma Megha, Okemos, Michigan<br \/> Durham Bill of Rights Defense Committee, Durham, North Carolina<br \/> East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation (EBALDC), Oakland, California<br \/> Estes Valley Multicultural Connections\/Las Conexiones Multiculturales, Estes Park, Colorado<br \/> Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center, Miami, Florida<br \/> Guilderland Bill of Rights Defense Committee, Guilderland, New York<br \/> Hate Free Zone Washington, Seattle, Washington<br \/> Human Rights, Education and Law Project Inc.. (HELP), Newark, New Jersey<br \/> Heartland Alliance for Human Needs and Human Rights, Chicago, Illinois<br \/> Idaho Patriots, Boise, Idaho<br \/> Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR), Chicago, Illinois<br \/> Illinois Single Pagans, Aurora, Illinois<br \/> Immigrant Initiatives, CUNY School of Law, Flushing, New York<br \/> India Foundation Inc., East Lansing, Michigan<br \/> Interfaith Coalition for Immigrant Rights, San Francisco, California<br \/> International Service Society, Okemos, Michigan<br \/> Japanese American Services of the East Bay (JASEB), Berkeley, California<br \/> Korean American Resource &#038; Cultural Center, Chicago, Illinois<br \/> Korean Resource Center, Los Angeles, California<br \/> Libertarian Party of San Joaquin County, California<br \/> Littletonians for Civil Liberties (LCL), Littleton, Massachusetts<br \/> The Lorax Society, Tulare, California<br \/> Midwest Immigrant and Human Rights Center, Chicago, Illinois<br \/> Na Loio &#8211; Immigrant Rights and Public Interest Legal Center, Honolulu, Hawaii<br \/> New York Immigration Coalition, New York, New York <br \/> Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, Seattle, Washington<br \/> Northwest Workers&#8217; Justice Project, Cornelius, Oregon<br \/> Peace Action WI, Milwaukee, Wisconsin<br \/> Port Orford Bill of Rights Defense Committee, Port Orford, Oregon<br \/> Rights for All People\/Derechos Para Todos, Denver, Colorado<br \/> Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center, Boulder, Colorado<br \/> Sakhi for South Asian Women, New York, New York<br \/> Save Our Rights Coalition of the Tri-Valley (SAVOR), Tri-Valley, California<br \/> Seva International, East Lansing, Michigan<br \/> South Asian Network (SAN), Artesia, California<br \/> Strength Through Peace, Fort Collins, Colorado<br \/> Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC), Nashville, Tennessee<br \/> Texas Lawyers&#8217; Committee for Civil Rights, San Antonio, Texas<br \/> Thai Community Development Center, Hollywood, California<br \/> University Peace Initiative (UPI), Honolulu, Hawaii<br \/> Vaishnava Center for Enlightenment, Lansing, Michigan<br \/> Vedanta Society of East Lansing, East Lansing, Michigan<br \/> Washington Defender Association&#8217;s Immigration Project, Seattle, Washington<br \/> Washington Watch Inc. Lansing, Michigan<br \/> Women For: Orange County, Irvine, California<br \/> Worldview, Ltd., Peterborough, New Hampshire<br \/> YKASEC &#8211; Empowering the Korean American Community, New York<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>June 16, 2004Letter sent to Representatives Berman and Delahunt upon introduction of the Civil Liberties Restoration Act (CLRA) of 2004 MS Word version available here. June 16, 2004 Dear Representatives: The undersigned organizations write&#46;&#46;&#46;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":4169,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[60,9],"tags":[142],"class_list":["post-1014","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-letters-to-government-agencies-signed-by-tma","category-advocacy-and-letters","tag-advocacy-letters"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/multiracial.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Advocacy-Work.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p89tuq-gm","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/multiracial.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1014","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/multiracial.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/multiracial.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/multiracial.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/multiracial.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1014"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/multiracial.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1014\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6981,"href":"https:\/\/multiracial.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1014\/revisions\/6981"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/multiracial.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4169"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/multiracial.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1014"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/multiracial.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1014"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/multiracial.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1014"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}