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For Immediate Release:
PAKPAC STATEMENT REGARDING THE NY-TIMES ARTICLE SUGGESTING ETHNIC
PROFILING IN BRITISH VISA WAIVER PROGRAM FOR UNITED STATES.
Maryland: May 3rd, 2007: Pakistani
American Public Affairs Committee (PAKPAC) is highly concerned about
the recent article in
New York Times (May 2nd 2007) The story suggested that
the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Secretary Chertoff are
pressing to change the visa waiver program with the British government
to require British passport holders of Pakistani origin to be required
to have a visa to enter the US.
This suggestion is of grave concern to PAKPAC. If
this was true it would be a clear case of racial, ethnic and religious
profiling, which is against the United States laws, but also against
the human rights principles. Because of PAKPACs concern and the role
in educating and working with the Pakistani American community the Depart of
Homeland Security has already reached out to us and communicated with PAKPAC about the erroneous
reporting by NY times on this issue. In his communication with PAKPAC,
Mr. Daniel Sutherland the Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security communicated the
following,
“The article claims that Secretary Chertoff is seeking for ways to
prevent British citizens of Pakistani national origin from traveling
to the United States. I wanted to let you know as soon as I could
that the article is completely inaccurate on this point. The below
article
contains (Reuters article) the official DHS position on this
matter. As you know, the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
provides guidance and training to DHS personnel and leaders on the
Department's policy on racial and ethnic profiling. We will work to
ensure the article does not lead to misconceptions, and appreciate
your thoughts as well”.
The excerpts from the article mentioned by
Mr. Sutherland are as follows:
A spokesman for the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security also said there were "inaccuracies" in the story.
"We flatly reject the notion of profiling based upon ethnicity,
religion, sex, age, what have you. Country of origin as well," the
spokesman told BBC radio. "We are pleased with the visa waiver program
but we have been on record with our desire to strengthen the visa
waiver program."
A spokeswoman for Britain's Home Office
(interior ministry) denied that Chertoff and Reid had discussed any
particular group of people at their meeting.
"The suggestion that groups of British
citizens of a particular background should be singled out was not made
at the meeting and neither would it have been acceptable," she said.
PAKPAC will remain engaged with the Department of
Homeland Security on this very challenging situation. There has been
serious unease amid a wave of terrorism trials in Britain in which
Britons of Pakistani origin have either been accused of or found
guilty of planning or carrying out attacks.
PAKPAC strongly feel that any form of
racial, ethnic, religious profiling will not only be counterproductive, but alienate a well integrated large segment of the
American population which continue to work towards the growth and
stability of United States along with all other immigrant and non
immigrant communities. |
