STATEMENT OF ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL ROBERT MCCALLUM
IN RESPONSE TO TODAY'S RULING IN ACLU V. HUDSON COUNTY, N.J.

"We are pleased with today's unanimous decision by the New Jersey Superior Court Appellate Division in reversing the trial court's decision and upholding the Immigration and Naturalization Service's authority to withhold the names and other information relating to visa violators detained in relation to the September 11th investigation.

"As the government explained in court, releasing the information at issue would undermine the ongoing investigation and assist terrorist organizations seeking to harm America. Such information about individuals detained for these immigration violations would assist terrorists to assemble a blueprint of the government's strategy to fight the war on terrorism.

"The highest priority of the Justice Department is to prevent, detect, disrupt and dismantle terrorism while preserving our constitutional liberties. The Justice Department will use every resource at its disposal to protect American lives, while at the same time guaranteeing that the rights of our citizens are fully protected."

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