April, 29 2010, 03:28pm EDT
Immigration and Customs Enforcement Memo Leaked, Groups Say ICE Exposed in Use of Spin and Deception in Response to Lawsuit
WASHINGTON
Today a six-page internal memo from United States Immigration and
Customs Enforcement (ICE) was leaked to the press. The memo contains
ICE's media strategy in response to rights groups' "Uncovering the Truth
on ICE and Police Collaboration" campaign-a week long effort of rallies
and press conferences in 14 cities to denounce an ICE-police
collaboration program that rights groups say have dangerous and
disastrous effects on community safety, similar to what led to the human
rights crisis in Arizona. The week of advocacy was launched on Tuesday
in conjunction with a FOIA lawsuit filed in the Southern District of New
York by the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON),
the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) and the Immigration Justice
Clinic of Benjamin Cardozo School of Law to demand records
relating to the Secure Communities program.
"ICE's unbelievable offensive against activists organizing for truth and
accountability must be challenged," said CCR attorney Sunita
Patel. "Rather than sticking to the promise of transparency,
the Obama administration is hiding behind misinformation and attacking
civil society. The quest for answers is even more compelling and begs
the question: what is ICE hiding?"
The memo included the targeted placement of opinion-editorials in "major
newspapers in the right cities where protests are planned." On the day
of the launch, ICE Assistant Secretary John Morton placed
opinion-editorials in Atlanta, Georgia; Miami, Florida; and Morristown,
New Jersey-all sites of the campaign.
Said Sarahi Uribe, NDLON organizer and national coordinator of
the "Uncover the Truth" campaign: "It is deeply disturbing that
ICE responded to our simple request for truth and accountability with
an aggressive strategy for spin and deception. At a time when its clear
that the federal government's irresponsibility gave rise to the crisis
in Arizona, rights groups now feel under attack for demanding basic
answers from our government."
To download a copy of the memo, click
here. For more information on the lawsuit and national campaign
visit www.UncoverTheTruth.org.
The Center for Constitutional Rights is dedicated to advancing and protecting the rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. CCR is committed to the creative use of law as a positive force for social change.
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