Community Leaders to Hold Community Hearings Across the Nation to Denounce Unfair Deportation and Detentions

Thursday, August 17 ~ 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
"Communities on the Line: Impacts of Militarization and Impunity"
Armory Park Community Center
220 S 5th Avenue, Tucson, Ariz. 85701

Speaker:

Friday, August 18 ~ 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Community Hearing on Immigration ("The People's Hearing")
ACCESS Community Health & Research Center
6450 Maple Road, Dearborn, Mich. 48126

Speakers:

Background:

In response to recent immigration bills passed by the Senate and the House, the Liberty & Justice for All campaign is launching a nationwide effort to educate the public about attempts by Congress to erode the civil liberties and human rights of everyone in America. Campaign coordinators will host three community hearings across the country, participate in a week-long radio tour and release informational materials. The community hearings are sponsored by Hate Free Zone Washington, National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights and Coalicion de Derechos Humanos/Alianza Indigena sin Fronteras and Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services.

Congress is proposing to expand the government's powers to detain, deport and criminalize people without a fair process or any guarantees to due process rights. Speakers at the community hearings will highlight the challenges communities on the border already face and how the proposed immigration provisions will exacerbate these challenges.

In addition to the hearings, key community leaders within the Liberty & Justice for All campaign will engage in a week-long radio tour to defend the civil liberties and human rights of everyone in America. Members on the tour include Eun Sook Lee, executive director of the National Korean American Service and Education Consortium and Stephen Fotopoulos, policy director of the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition.