Fwd: Harsh Immigration and Criminal Justice Bills Before Congress
Fwd: ACLU ONLINE SPECIAL ALERT: Congress to Vote on Spying, Detainee Rules
Harsh Immigration and Criminal Justice Bills Before Congress
In this final week before members of Congress leave Washington to campaign for mid-term elections, Republicans are looking to score political points by pushing through harsh crime and anti-immigrant measures that undermine due process and flout the very freedoms America represents.
Just last week, the House of Representatives passed a package of "get tough" anti-immigrant measures that would, among other things: broaden the constitutionally dubious practice of indefinite detention; expand the unjust practice of expedited removal—deportation without a lawyer, hearing, or court review; authorize state and local police to enforce federal immigration laws; and make it more difficult to sue the government for violating immigrants' rights. The Senate could vote on these measures this week.
In addition to the anti-immigration legislation, there is an effort to pass several harsh criminal justice bills. This package of Judiciary Committee legislation would include new federal death penalties, mandatory minimum sentences and further restrictions on federal habeas corpus proceedings.
It is quite possible that Republican leaders will attempt to attach any or all of these bills to the must-pass Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill—daring Democrats to vote against it. But lawmakers should not undermine our civil rights and civil liberties as an election-year strategy.
Please call your members of Congress today and urge them to pass a "clean" DHS appropriations bill and oppose any attempts to attach legislation that would undermine our fundamental freedoms.
Harsh Immigration and Criminal Justice Bills Before Congress
In this final week before members of Congress leave Washington to campaign for mid-term elections, Republicans are looking to score political points by pushing through harsh crime and anti-immigrant measures that undermine due process and flout the very freedoms America represents.
Just last week, the House of Representatives passed a package of "get tough" anti-immigrant measures that would, among other things: broaden the constitutionally dubious practice of indefinite detention; expand the unjust practice of expedited removal—deportation without a lawyer, hearing, or court review; authorize state and local police to enforce federal immigration laws; and make it more difficult to sue the government for violating immigrants' rights. The Senate could vote on these measures this week.
In addition to the anti-immigration legislation, there is an effort to pass several harsh criminal justice bills. This package of Judiciary Committee legislation would include new federal death penalties, mandatory minimum sentences and further restrictions on federal habeas corpus proceedings.
It is quite possible that Republican leaders will attempt to attach any or all of these bills to the must-pass Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill—daring Democrats to vote against it. But lawmakers should not undermine our civil rights and civil liberties as an election-year strategy.
Please call your members of Congress today and urge them to pass a "clean" DHS appropriations bill and oppose any attempts to attach legislation that would undermine our fundamental freedoms.
posted by peaceandjustice2005 at 10:13 PM
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