Conyers Calls on Department of Homeland Security to Uphold Basic Human Rights and Constitutional Protections

Conyers Calls on Department of Homeland Security to Uphold Basic Human Rights and Constitutional Protections

Congressman John Conyers

(Washington, DC)- Yesterday, House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. expressed his concern about several enforcement activities of the Department of Homeland Security. In a statement for the Congressional Record, Conyers highlighted several recent controversies that have plagued the department: the Border Patrol’s short-lived policy of diverting resources into immigration checkpoints during hurricane evacuations; Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s denial of medical treatment to immigration detainees; and a workforce raid in Iowa that has led to allegations of union-busting, selective prosecution, and the denial of arrestees’ due process.

In the statement, Conyers deplored an emerging pattern in which ill-advised policies or announcements by the department are ameliorated only after congressional scrutiny:

“I am concerned that in a rush to look tough on immigration, the department is sacrificing basic human rights and constitutional protections,” said Conyers. “I look forward to talking with Secretary Chertoff about how he can ensure constitutional rights, basic standards of medical care, and priority for the fight against worker exploitation. These duties do not start when the public and Congress respond to a controversy, they must be incorporated into decision-making from the beginning.”