The IACHR Holds Hearing on Violations of Due Process in the U.S.' Enforcement of Immigrant Detention and Deportation Policies

Contact: Priya Doshi, Rights Working Group, 202-296-2300 Ext. 125

MEDIA ADVISORY

Rights Working Group members and allies will present testimony on human rights violations

Washington, D.C. October 27, 2008 – The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) will hold a hearing on due process violations in the U.S.' enforcement of immigrant detention and deportation policies on Tuesday, October 28 from 10:15 - 11:15 AM. Rights Working Group (RWG) members and allies will present testimony from an asylum seeker and former detainee speaking about his experiences in immigration detention, a brief video that spotlights some of the due process violations taking place in U.S. immigration enforcement policies, and expert testimony from a human rights advocate.

The RWG is part of the coalition of advocates who petitioned the Commission to hold the hearing to review current U.S. government policies which have denied basic due process and human rights protections to immigrant detainees. Areas of concern include: discriminatory enforcement of the law; lack of access to counsel; failure to ensure that immigrant detainees understand the charges brought against them and pressure on immigrant detainees to take pleas without ensuring they understand the consequences of those pleas; lack of a formal hearing process; lack of access to judicial review; disproportionate charges and sentencing; cruel and unusual punishment in detention; and arbitrary separation of families in violation of several international human rights laws, among others. This hearing will be webcast live on the OAS Web site, www.oas.org. The video will also be available for viewing later on the OAS and IACHR Web sites. The audio recording will be available on the IACHR site, www.iachr.org.

• What: Inter-American Commission on Human Rights Hearing on Due Process Violations in the Enforcement of U.S. Immigrant Detention and Deportation Policies
• Where: Organization of American States, Hearing Room A; F and 19th Streets, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20006
• When: Tuesday, October 28, 2008 10:15 -11:15 AM
• Who: The Rights Working Group, the American Civil Liberties Union Human Rights Program, Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children, CAIR Coalition, law clinics from the Law Schools at the University of Pennsylvania, American University, University of Texas, Yale University, and Seattle University petitioned for the hearing and will present evidence.

The Rights Working Group is a coalition of 250 community-based grassroots groups and national organizations formed in the aftermath of 9-11 that works to ensure civil liberties and human rights protections for all people living in the U.S. RWG is coordinating a national campaign to Hold the Department of Homeland Security Accountable! for policies which violate the human rights and civil liberties of people living in the U.S.