Posted by UrgentMessenger on October 14, 2001 at 17:58:31:
>http://www.napalc.org/programs/immigration/alert/terrorism_act_10-10-
>01.htm
>
>NATIONAL ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN LEGAL CONSORTIUM
>
>ACTION ALERT
>Immediate Release Contact: Sharon Scanlon
>October 9, 2001 202-296-2300,
>sscanlon@napalc.org
>
>IMPORTANT IMMIGRATION INFORMATION!
>
>CONGRESS POSED TO ACT ON BILLS WITH SWEEPING CONSEQUENCES FOR
>IMMIGRANTS: WEIGH IN NOW ON THIS FAST TRACK LEGISLATION
>
>BACKGROUND: Two versions of an antiterrorism bill, the Uniting and
>Strengthening America Act in the U.S. Senate, S.1510 ('USA Act') and the
>Provide Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism
>('PATRIOT Act') in the U.S. House of Representatives, H.R.2975, have been
>moving through their respective houses of Congress on a fast track in
>response to pressure from the Department of Justice. Both versions contain
>provisions that will extend law enforcement authority beyond the context of
>the current search for the perpetrators of September 11th and those that
>may
>be inclined to the same heinous acts. There are very serious
>constitutional
>questions about the rights of innocent persons, which may be seriously
>encroached by both versions of this bill. Many provisions have raised
>concern, including:
>
> 1) Further erosion of the rights of non-citizens:
>The proposed bill allows for the indefinite detention of non-citizen
>Americans. They would be detained despite a successful challenge to the
>government's case for deportation. In other cases, persons may be deported
>without ever knowing the basis for their charge, without knowing the
>substance of the charge, and therefore without any opportunity to confront
>and dispute the allegations against them.
>
> 2) Sweeping Expansion of Law Enforcement Authority to
>invade the Privacy of Americans:
>Considerably expands the authority of law enforcement to conduct
>wiretapping
>and electronic surveillance of Americans, eroding those basic protections
>that were designed to distinguish general law enforcement investigations
>from foreign intelligence operations. Judicial oversight would be minimal.
>The bills would also expand the government's authority to conduct 'secret
>searches.' While both versions of this bill raise serious questions, and
>people may come to different conclusions on where the lines must be drawn,
>all agree that these are serious issues that implicate fundamental
>constitutional freedoms, and merit a careful deliberation before Congress
>rushes to send this measure to the President. Currently the Senate
>Leadership is trying to quickly move their version of the bill to the floor
>for a unanimous consent vote. Many Senators are concerned with the hasty
>treatment of this bill and need the opportunity to be able to fix some of
>these grave problems, but given the pressure on them, may be unable to
>convince Senate Leadership from acting to bring this bill to a vote.
>
>
>ACTION NEEDED: We need you to contact the Senate Leadership's Offices as
>soon as possible to:
>
>1) Affirm that as a fellow American you stand by principles of freedom
>and basic liberty that must not be abandoned in undue haste to adopt an
>antiterrorism bill.
>
>2) Convey that you understand that at the end of the day, a bill may
>pass
>but that you firmly believe that we must be sure that we have had a fair
>opportunity to examine and acknowledge the serious civil liberties issues
>that are implicated by this legislation. Problems with this bill must be
>given a chance to be fixed.
>
>3) MOST IMPORTANTLY therefore urge that this bill not be rushed for a
>vote on unanimous consent.
>
>Senate Majority Leader
>Tom Daschle (D-SD)
>Tel. 202-224-2158
>Fax. 202-224-7895
>tom_daschle@daschle.senate.gov
>
>Senate Minority Leader
>Trent Lott (R-MS)
>Tel.202-224-3135
>Fax.202-224-6253
>senatorlott@lott.senate.gov
>
>Other Judiciary Committee Offices to Call:
>Orrin G. Hatch (R), Utah - Chairman
>202-224-5251
>senator_hatch@hatch.senate.gov
>
>Patrick J. Leahy (D), Vermont - Ranking Minority Member
>202-224-4242
>senator_leahy@leahy.senate.gov
>
>Joseph R. Biden (D), Delaware
>202-224-5042
>senator@biden.senate.gov
>
>Mike DeWine (R), Ohio
>202-224-2315
>senator_dewine@dewine.senate.gov
>
>Russell D. Feingold (D), Wisconsin
>202-224-5323
>russell_feingold@feingold.senate.gov
>
>Dianne Feinstein (D), California
>202-224-3841
>senator@feinstein.senate.gov
>
>Charles E. Grassley (R), Iowa
>202-224-3744
>chuck_grassley.senate.gov
>
>Edward M. Kennedy (D), Mass.
>202-224-4543
>senator@kennedy.senate.gov
>
>Herb Kohl (D), Wisconsin
>202-224-5653
>senator_kohl@kohl.senate.gov
>
>Jon Kyl (R), Arizona
>202-224-4521
>info@kyl.senate.gov
>
>Charles Schumer (D), New York
>202-224-6542
>senator@schumer.senate.gov
>
>Jeff Sessions (R), Alabama
>202-224-4124
>senator@sessions.senate.gov
>
>Robert C. Smith (R), New Hampshire
>202-224-2841
>opinion@smith.senate.gov
>
>Arlen Specter (R), Pennsylvania
>202-224-4254
>senator_specter@specter.senate.gov
>
>Strom Thurmond (R), South Carolina
>202-224-5972
>senator@thurmond.senate.gov
>
>Robert Torricelli (D), New Jersey
>202-224-3224
>senator_torricelli@torricelli.senate.gov
>
>FOR MORE INFORMATION: See the following links for more information on
>these bills: S.1510 (USA Act of 2001)
>
>To read the Bill:
>>_bills&docid=f:s1510is.txt.pdf>
>
>From the ACLU
>October 8, 2001: How the Senate Anti-Terrorism Bill Permits Indefinite
>Detention of Immigrants Who Are Not Terrorists --
>
>October 8, 2001: How the Senate Anti-Terrorism Bill Allows for Detention
>And Deportation of People Engaging in Innocent Associational Activity --
>
>
>H.R. 2975 (PATRIOT Act of 2001)
> >From AILA (American Immigration Lawyers Association)
>Anti-terrorism bill and section-by-section review of the U.S. House of
>Representatives response to the September 11 events.
>To read the bill
> (PDF file, 361kb)
>To read the section-by-section review
> (PDF file, 55kb)
>
>AILA's Section-by-Section Review of the Immigration Provisions on the
>PATRIOT Act of 2001
>
>
>Other Information
>American Bar Association Task Force Analyzes the House and Senate
>Anti-Terrorism Legislation, and makes recommendations for changes.
>
>David Keene, chairman of the American Conservative Union, October 10,
>2001 issue of The Hill discussing the terrorism legislation and the
>FBI's intelligence failures:
>
>ACLU Action Alert on Antiterrorism Bill (October 9th)
>www.aclu.org
>
>Lawyers Committee for Human Rights Action Alert (Oct. 9th)
>