Speech #1090059223

Governments web site. Even worse than the PATRIOT Act has been the unilateral abuse of power by the Administration. Since September 11. our government has detained and verbally and physically abused thousands of immigrants without time limit. for unknown and unspecified reasons. and target tens of thousands of ArabAmericans for intensive interrogations and immigration screenings. All this serves to accomplish is to alienate Muslim and Arab Americansthe key groups to fighting terrorism in our countrywho see a Justice Department that has institutionalized racial and ethnic profiling. without the benefit of a single terrorism conviclion. Nor it is helpful when our government condones the torture of prisoners at home and abroad. authorizes the monitoring of mosques and religious sties without any indication of criminal activity. and detains scores of individuals as material witnesses because it does not have evidence to indict them.