BTL: Civil Rights Group Sues Bush Adm. on Post-9/11 Mass Detention of Immigrants

Between The Lines' Scott Harris

In the weeks after the September 11th terrorist attacks, some 1,200 immigrants were arrested or detained by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service in what the federal government said was a search for individuals connected to the deadly assault on New York City and Washington, D.C. Although nearly all the Muslim or Arabic men picked up were guilty of nothing more than minor visa violations, seven months later more than 300 non-citizens are believed to still be in federal custody with an unknown number having been deported or released on bond.

Many of those held have been denied access to attorneys, and visitation with family members. Other reports indicate that a number of detainees have suffered beatings at the hands of prison guards in the federal system. In response to what many civil liberties advocates assert are abuses by the Bush Justice Department, the Center for Constitutional Rights recently filed a class-action lawsuit asking a federal judge to declare the mass detention of these immigrants unconstitutional.

Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with Barbara J. Olshansky, assistant legal director with the Center for Constitutional Rights who explains her group's objective in filing this lawsuit in what could be a landmark case for civil liberties.

Contact the Center for Constitutional Rights by calling (212) 614-6464 or visit their Web site at www.ccr-ny.org

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