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URGENT MESSAGE REGARDING CHECKPOINTS THEN & NOW
THEN- Khalilah Sabra (MAS- Freedom) & Attorney Marty Rosenbluth Facilitated Rights Working Group
'Night of 1,000 Conversations' hosted by Southern Coalition for Social Justice ** The purpose was to
hold DHS Accountable for Human Rights & Civil Liberties Violations.
August 11, 2008
NOW-On Thursday, June 19, the Rights Working Group kicked off a the campaign to hold the
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) accountable with the "Night of 1,000 Conversations." As
thousands of people across the country gathered in homes, offices, coffee shops and places of
worship to discuss how the overreach of DHS undermines the civil liberties and human rights of
people living in America, a large group join the conversation in Durham which was hosted by the
Southern Coalition for Social Justice ** The event was facilitated by Marty Rosenbluth, Southern
Coalition for Social Justice volunteer and Khalilah Sabra, Muslim American Society Freedom.
THEN- Khalilah Sabra (MAS- Freedom) & Attorney Marty Rosenbluth Facilitated Rights Working Group
'Night of 1,000 Conversations' hosted by Southern Coalition for Social Justice ** The purpose was to
hold DHS Accountable for Human Rights & Civil Liberties Violations.
August 11, 2008
NOW-On Thursday, June 19, the Rights Working Group kicked off a the campaign to hold the
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) accountable with the "Night of 1,000 Conversations." As
thousands of people across the country gathered in homes, offices, coffee shops and places of
worship to discuss how the overreach of DHS undermines the civil liberties and human rights of
people living in America, a large group join the conversation in Durham which was hosted by the
Southern Coalition for Social Justice ** The event was facilitated by Marty Rosenbluth, Southern
Coalition for Social Justice volunteer and Khalilah Sabra, Muslim American Society Freedom.
“The purpose of this evening of conversations was just a prelude to the work that has to be done to
insure that due process is a right in North Carolina and racial profiling is not a characteristic
behavior of law enforcement! Due Process is not the abuse of process. Know your rights and
responsibilities.”
Khalilah Sabra, MAS Freedom
Learn the Facts!
We are hearing about immigration raids and checkpoints in North Carolina this week. Is this true?
First of all, raids and traffic checkpoints are very different.
Immigration raids are generally understood as concentrated efforts by Federal ICE agents to
investigate and detain a number of people at a particular workplace, neighborhood or other targeted
location. While we are aware that there have been reports of large scale raids in North Carolina this
week, we have not been able to confirm these reports based on visits and consultations with informed
sources (see more on this below).
Instead of actual raids, ICE has been carrying out isolated arrests of targeted individuals. There have
been confirmed reports this week of ICE arrests of people who had final deportation orders or who
were suspected of serious criminal charges.
On the other hand, a traffic checkpoint may be setup by local police departments, county sheriffs, the
state highway patrol or other law enforcement agencies for purposes of safety such as license checks,
seat belt checks, drunk driving checks, or searching for a dangerous criminal suspect. There will be
traffic checkpoints in North Carolina this week (see below for more information).
What happened on Friday, August 8, 2008 or throughout the weekend. What were the risks for
unlicensed drivers or passengers?
There is a statewide campaign focused on Driving While Impaired (DWI) prevention, hence 08.08.08 (.
08 being the legal NC limit of Blood Alcohol Consumption level) sponsored by the Governor's Highway
Safety
Program http://www.ncdot.org/programs/ghsp Law enforcement agencies throughout North Carolina
set up traffic checkpoints to arrest drunk drivers on Friday, August 8, 2008. This program is not focused
on immigrants, rather it is focused on getting drunk drivers off our North Carolina roads.
It is against the law to drive a motor vehicle on streets and highways without a valid driver license. No
one should drive without a license, but it may be particularly dangerous for them to do so on this date.
We want our streets and highways to be safe for everyone, and we urge everyone – immigrant
advocates, leaders, community members, everyone -- to NEVER drink and drive.
In counties where there are formal agreements between ICE and local law enforcement officials (e.g.
287(g),
Criminal Alien Program -CAP, etc.), drivers who are stopped at these checkpoints and do not have
drivers' licenses risk arrest and possible deportation. In these counties local law enforcement officers
have been trained by ICE and can act as immigration officers. This means that even though ICE isn't
officially present at
these checkpoints, there is still a risk to undocumented immigrants and other non-citizens. Currently
Alamance, Cabarrus, Cumberland, Gaston, Henderson, Mecklenburg, and Wake counties and the
Durham Police
Department have 287(g) agreements. CAP agreements are in place in Buncombe and Macon counties
and beyond.
Drivers in counties without ICE agreements can also be detained if they cannot produce identification.
Therefore, people who do not have drivers' licenses may be at risk of arrest and/or deportation even in
those counties.
Why do it?
In the name of national security, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has adopted practices
that routinely violate basic rights of people in this country, including immigrants. Most people do not
realize these violations of human rights and civil liberties are taking place. If we let the government
continue to violate the rights of some, it puts all of our freedoms at risk.
Violations include:
• Warrantless and aggressive raids on homes and workplaces
• Inhumane detention conditions
• A huge backlog in citizenship applications caused partly by DHS' practice of targeting people of
certain nationalities for extra security checks
Goals
• Raise awareness and educate people about what's going on in our own backyard
• Engage people to reassert this country's democratic principles
• Build power at the grassroots level to effect changes in DHS policies
A Message from Irene Godìnez
Advocacy Director, El Pueblo, Inc.
Dear Allies and Friends;
Due to the massive amounts of misinformation and confusion regarding proposed check points and
rumors of raids the North Carolina Latino Coalition, El Pueblo, Inc., and the NC Justice Center with the
support of the Southern Coalition for Social Justice have compiled a concise document responding to
these inquiries. You can view the document in the link below (*), It is titled update-to-advocates-leaders-
06aug08.pd. The links further below (1-5) will make much more sense once you read the NC Update
for Immigrant Advocates and Community Leaders document.
* http://www.ncimmigrants.org/update-to-advocates-leaders-06aug08.pdf
The first link directs you to some ready to print Know Your Rights cards. These cards are to be given to
community members. These cards state that the individual wishes to exercise their right to remain
silent. The second and third link will direct you to some intake forms in case you observe instances of
racial profiling or questionable situations on behalf of law enforcement. The last two links will direct you
to some helpful materials developed by Casa de Maryland on what individuals should know about
detention and deportation. This document is being made available to you as a proactive measure. If
you have any questions about any of this information feel free to contact the individuals listed at the
bottom of the NC Update for Immigrant Advocates and Community Leaders document. Thank you for
your work and your support!
1. http://www.ncimmigrants.org/NC-rights-card.pdf
2. http://www.ncimmigrants.org/Racial-Profiling-Intake-English.pdf
3. http://www.ncimmigrants.org/Racial-Profiling-Intake-Spanish.pdf
4. http://www.elpueblo.org/docs/Detentions-Deportations/KNOWYOURRIGHTSPA.pdf
5. http://www.elpueblo.org/docs/Detentions-Deportations/KNOWYOURRIGHTENG.pdff
En Solidaridad,
Irene Godìnez, MIS
insure that due process is a right in North Carolina and racial profiling is not a characteristic
behavior of law enforcement! Due Process is not the abuse of process. Know your rights and
responsibilities.”
Khalilah Sabra, MAS Freedom
Learn the Facts!
We are hearing about immigration raids and checkpoints in North Carolina this week. Is this true?
First of all, raids and traffic checkpoints are very different.
Immigration raids are generally understood as concentrated efforts by Federal ICE agents to
investigate and detain a number of people at a particular workplace, neighborhood or other targeted
location. While we are aware that there have been reports of large scale raids in North Carolina this
week, we have not been able to confirm these reports based on visits and consultations with informed
sources (see more on this below).
Instead of actual raids, ICE has been carrying out isolated arrests of targeted individuals. There have
been confirmed reports this week of ICE arrests of people who had final deportation orders or who
were suspected of serious criminal charges.
On the other hand, a traffic checkpoint may be setup by local police departments, county sheriffs, the
state highway patrol or other law enforcement agencies for purposes of safety such as license checks,
seat belt checks, drunk driving checks, or searching for a dangerous criminal suspect. There will be
traffic checkpoints in North Carolina this week (see below for more information).
What happened on Friday, August 8, 2008 or throughout the weekend. What were the risks for
unlicensed drivers or passengers?
There is a statewide campaign focused on Driving While Impaired (DWI) prevention, hence 08.08.08 (.
08 being the legal NC limit of Blood Alcohol Consumption level) sponsored by the Governor's Highway
Safety
Program http://www.ncdot.org/programs/ghsp Law enforcement agencies throughout North Carolina
set up traffic checkpoints to arrest drunk drivers on Friday, August 8, 2008. This program is not focused
on immigrants, rather it is focused on getting drunk drivers off our North Carolina roads.
It is against the law to drive a motor vehicle on streets and highways without a valid driver license. No
one should drive without a license, but it may be particularly dangerous for them to do so on this date.
We want our streets and highways to be safe for everyone, and we urge everyone – immigrant
advocates, leaders, community members, everyone -- to NEVER drink and drive.
In counties where there are formal agreements between ICE and local law enforcement officials (e.g.
287(g),
Criminal Alien Program -CAP, etc.), drivers who are stopped at these checkpoints and do not have
drivers' licenses risk arrest and possible deportation. In these counties local law enforcement officers
have been trained by ICE and can act as immigration officers. This means that even though ICE isn't
officially present at
these checkpoints, there is still a risk to undocumented immigrants and other non-citizens. Currently
Alamance, Cabarrus, Cumberland, Gaston, Henderson, Mecklenburg, and Wake counties and the
Durham Police
Department have 287(g) agreements. CAP agreements are in place in Buncombe and Macon counties
and beyond.
Drivers in counties without ICE agreements can also be detained if they cannot produce identification.
Therefore, people who do not have drivers' licenses may be at risk of arrest and/or deportation even in
those counties.
Why do it?
In the name of national security, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has adopted practices
that routinely violate basic rights of people in this country, including immigrants. Most people do not
realize these violations of human rights and civil liberties are taking place. If we let the government
continue to violate the rights of some, it puts all of our freedoms at risk.
Violations include:
• Warrantless and aggressive raids on homes and workplaces
• Inhumane detention conditions
• A huge backlog in citizenship applications caused partly by DHS' practice of targeting people of
certain nationalities for extra security checks
Goals
• Raise awareness and educate people about what's going on in our own backyard
• Engage people to reassert this country's democratic principles
• Build power at the grassroots level to effect changes in DHS policies
A Message from Irene Godìnez
Advocacy Director, El Pueblo, Inc.
Dear Allies and Friends;
Due to the massive amounts of misinformation and confusion regarding proposed check points and
rumors of raids the North Carolina Latino Coalition, El Pueblo, Inc., and the NC Justice Center with the
support of the Southern Coalition for Social Justice have compiled a concise document responding to
these inquiries. You can view the document in the link below (*), It is titled update-to-advocates-leaders-
06aug08.pd. The links further below (1-5) will make much more sense once you read the NC Update
for Immigrant Advocates and Community Leaders document.
* http://www.ncimmigrants.org/update-to-advocates-leaders-06aug08.pdf
The first link directs you to some ready to print Know Your Rights cards. These cards are to be given to
community members. These cards state that the individual wishes to exercise their right to remain
silent. The second and third link will direct you to some intake forms in case you observe instances of
racial profiling or questionable situations on behalf of law enforcement. The last two links will direct you
to some helpful materials developed by Casa de Maryland on what individuals should know about
detention and deportation. This document is being made available to you as a proactive measure. If
you have any questions about any of this information feel free to contact the individuals listed at the
bottom of the NC Update for Immigrant Advocates and Community Leaders document. Thank you for
your work and your support!
1. http://www.ncimmigrants.org/NC-rights-card.pdf
2. http://www.ncimmigrants.org/Racial-Profiling-Intake-English.pdf
3. http://www.ncimmigrants.org/Racial-Profiling-Intake-Spanish.pdf
4. http://www.elpueblo.org/docs/Detentions-Deportations/KNOWYOURRIGHTSPA.pdf
5. http://www.elpueblo.org/docs/Detentions-Deportations/KNOWYOURRIGHTENG.pdff
En Solidaridad,
Irene Godìnez, MIS
